Going Ape On Skull Island

While I recommend supporting small business, especially friendly local game shops, I also admit that sometimes a great deal is a great deal. Right now on Amazon the Kong: Skull Island - A Cinematic Adventure for Everyday Heroes is only 7.99. I've not been shy talking about my love for intelligent and giant apes so I snagged a copy with some Amazon credit I had. This is the only print Everyday Heroes book I have, but I dig it. The book clocks in at 112 pages and six parts.

Here is a breakdown of the book and my thoughts.

Part I focuses on the world of Kong and the Monsterverse. This is an interesting one because while the book focuses on Kong and only includes stats from Kong related projects, it does mention Godzilla and some of the other titans. One thing that definitely stuck out to me was the inclusion of Apex Cybernetics in the book. This is the company that created Mechagodzilla. They definitely feel more like a Godzilla thing than a Kong thing, but I'm fine with them being detailed (even getting npc stats later in the book).  This section is pretty detailed, given the little amount of lore for the setting at the time. Of course, a map of the titular Skull Island is given. 

Part II is all about heroes. There are tips for creating and playing characters in the setting. New backgrounds and professions are given. All of these are connected to Skull Island or the Monsterverse as a whole. Characters can be members of the Iwi tribe or work for Monarch. There are two new classes: Field Researcher and Monster Hunter. Field Research is a smart hero that's more physical based than normal ones. Monster Hunters are a tough hero class that does what the name says. An interesting feature of the class is that they have to encounter species in different ways (beyond just combat) to use their best class abilities against them. Both classes sound pretty fun, to be honest. There are some new feats (mostly related to multiclassing) and equipment (some from the 70's and some from modern times).  

Part III includes new rules. Absolute armor is an interesting idea and plays on Everyday Heroes armor/defense differences to typical 5e. Cinematic actions are ways to make enemies more powerful and are basically Legendary actions. There are new combat conditions and a new "difficulty mode" for the game to make it more dangerous than typical Everyday Heroes games. The most important section discusses Titanic Scale. It's an interesting idea. Essentially it makes kaiju stats comparable to regular ones (and therefore less complicated). Breaking it down, damage is done basically at a 1 to 100 rate. Titanic creatures deal normal damage to each other, but that damage is multiplied by 100 to non-Titans. Because of this epic scale, there's a section on including Titans in encounters without direct combat. 

Part IV is GM advice. This is preobably the shortest. There's a discussion of themes, weather, encounter tables, and a little blurb on how to use Kong.

Part V, the cinematic adventure, is the longest section (39 pages). Set in 2016, shortly after the events of Godzilla, the characters (who should be 3rd level) are a part of a Monarch expedition to Skull Island. In this three act adventure the character have to stop a deadly plot to weaponize the island's unique creatures.

Part VI is the cast section and is full of stat blocks. The stats are divided into different subsections. Supporting Cast includes human npcs, divided by affiliation: Apex Cybernetics, Iwi tribe, and Monarch. This is followed by Superspecies, which includes the (non-Titan) flora and fauna of Skull Island. Titans follow that subsection. As I mentioned the titanic scale of this setting means that the Titans, while powerful, don't have super complicated stat blocks. For example, Adult Kong is the most powerful and is technically only CR 11. Because the titans are the big draw I figured I'd list the ones included:

• Camazotz - this bat-like Titan (Kingdom Kong comic)
• Kong - there are two different Kong stat blocks included, adolescent (Kong: Skull Island) and adult (Godzilla vs. Kong)
• Skull Devil - while a majority of the skullcrawlers are just regular superspecies, the alpha is considered a Titan (Kong: Skull Island)
• Snarehunter Queen - queen of the "singing ants" (heard in Kong: Skull Island, but this book is technically their first appearance)

Key Character stats are included for the main cast of Kong: Skull Island. For the characters that survived the film (which is all mentioned by Bill) a brief description of their actions after the film are included. The final stats in the book are pre-generated 3rd level characters that can be used in the adventure. 

I would have enjoyed more Titans, but I understand that while this is set in the Monsterverse, they aren't the focus of the book. If you'd like to add more Titans to your game the Kaiju from the Pacific Rim Cinematic Adventure would be good. That one also has Jaeger stats, so you can add mechs. There's also the serial numbers filed off The Vault, which includes the rules from the various cinematic adventures divorced from their IP's. 

Not going to recommend this one to everyone but if you love Kaiju, the Monsterverse, or play Everyday Heroes consider picking this one up.

Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn

Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn is a new free D&D adventure available on D&D Beyond. It's a 4th level adventure written for D&D 2024/One D&D (or what I'm just referring to as 5.5).

Kelek the evil mage has stolen Uni the unicorn's horn and absconded with it to a demiplane. Players can play as the six heroes from the D&D animated series (and their new cleric friend, Niko) or play as their own characters.

The adventure itself is meant to be played in a single session, so it only features a few encounters. Most of the encounters can be solved with blade and sword or diplomacy.  

If you're a fan of of the series you definitely want to check this out. We get stats for older versions of our favorite protagonists. This includes official stats for their powerful magic items. Finally, Venger, the big bad of the series, even makes a cameo.

The adventure can be played in the Realm the series featured, though there are also prompts for using it on Krynn, Faerun, and Oerth.  

Claim your copy here today.

Fire and Fangs Review

Fire and Fangs is a "Weird Stone & Sorcery Adventures for Old-School Essentials" written by the amazing Diogo Nogueira and featuring art by various fantastic artists. This is a setting of savage tribesmen and dinosaurs, shamans and survival. If you've ever played Far Cry Primal or watched Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal, you have a good idea of what I mean. The book can be broken down into three main sections. 

The largest section discusses Stone & Sorcery in OSE. The core classes get reskins (and occasionally new features). For example dwarves become molekin, sentient mole people with digging claws and an improved sense of smell. After the class section Diogo gives us new rules. Resources are important in this genre and are discussed. Because of their importance, they also are a way to earn XP (instead of the typical treasure hunting of OSE). New equipment and commerce rules are provided, along with dealing with items of inferior to normal quality.

The next section of the book is the Mother's Vale. This is the default setting of Fire and Fangs. A hex map of the land is presented. Of the many hexes, 12 are named. Each of these hexes has a short description and random encounter. The three villages have problem and special subheadings. The other hexes have secret and danger subheadings. A bestiary of the area is then presented. There are 50+ stat blocks. These include unique beasts, tribesman, and prehistoric creatures (like dinosaurs and mammoths).

The final section is an introductory adventure called The Cave of Our People. The characters must perform an initiation ritual to be welcomed into a tribe. There is a mixture of exploration, roleplay, and combat. It provides a nice framework for an ongoing game.

Fire and Fangs is a fantastic setting and supplement for Old-School Essentials and other OSR games. As written, you can run some fantastic games with Fire and Fangs. Even if you don't want an extended pre-historic campaign, you can use the Mother's Vale as a lost land for player's to discover. This one is only available in pdf form at the moment, but will hopefully see print sometime in the future.

Oh My Lost Darklords

Recently I snagged the pdf for Oh My Lost Darklords using some store credit I had from pdf sales. It is an Old-School Essentials class book written by Kabuki Kaiser. You will find 13 classes inspired by og content from gaming magazines and supplements. It's thicc too, the pdf comes in at 127 pages. Dark antiheroes and outright villains can be created using this one. Each of these classes can be taken by chaotic characters. According to the intro to the book five of the classes can be played by neutral characters and none of them are designed for lawful ones (though lawful versions can exist with some if the referee allows it). I counted six.  Before giving an overview of the classes the author gives some tips for running chaotic campaigns. The eight points make a lot of sense and its good advice for any evil game.

The classes include all relevant tables and information you'd expect. There are level restrictions presented if you're using the optional rules for character race and class being separate things. I'll briefly talk about each below. I will give all of their features, but an overview.

Avengers (chaotic) are anti-paladins. While they are strong and can fight as well as their holy equivalent,  they are often craven and excel in deceptive tactics. They can back these up with some divine magic. These bastards are iconic and make perfect foils for typical adventurers. 

Bandits (chaotic, neutral, and lawful at the referee's discretion) are a ranger variant. They excel in hit and run tactics, being masters of ambush and evading pursuit. This is one of the classes that can work will in a traditional party (and not even because lawful Robin Hood-types are possible). 

Bounty Hunters (chaotic, neutral, and lawful at the referee's discretion) are a combination of assassin and ranger. They are great with disguises and have the uncanny ability to render foes unconscious. I think this is another class that can work in a regular adventuring party with little work.

Cultist (chaotic) are a vile combination of assassin and cleric. Having to hide their profane magic and operate in secrecy they can be quite stealthy, but also have divine spells. One of my favorite features they have is the ability to temporarily turn any sash or rope into a strangling cord. These folks don't really work in traditional parties, but are really flavorful. I love them.

Dark Creepers (chaotic) are demihuman thief variants that dwell dark caverns. They enhance their thieving abilities with the ability to manipulate the darkness to their advantage. Given their habitat, alignment restriction, and habit limits their use, even in most chaotic games. They're still a fun variant though and I'm sure referees can find a use for them.

Dark Mages (chaotic) are a unique type of magic-user. They harness energies from nightmarish planes to cast their magic. They are versatile like sorceress of later editions and don't have traditional spell slots. Instead they must sacrifice their own hit points to cast spells. This horrific magic takes a toll on their body and causes it to decay. Dark mages have their own spell list and unsurprisingly its all nasty stuff (or spells that aid them in practicing their forbidden magic in secrecy). Much like the avenger this class is perfect for foes of traditional parties. 

Death Knights (chaotic) are essentially a fighter version of lich. They are undead, have access to arcane magic, can control their undead brethren and decay more as they gain power. Death Knights are iconic villains and I was happy to see their inclusion. Again they make iconic villains and I could see having an early villain killed by players rising as a Death Knight and seeking revenge.

Demonists (chaotic) are a variant summoning cleric. They can understand divine magic and use magic items tied to it, but don't cast traditional spells. They have a chosen weapon that they focus their dark magic through. They can imbue the blade with power and use it to summon a fiend. Since their are no official OSE stats for them, base stats are given with a chart that is used to customize the summon. Depraved souls that call upon nether creatures for power are a staple of fantasy. Referees can get a lot of use out of this one.

Duelists (chaotic and neutral) are a lightly armored fighter variant that know the values of a blade. These brave warriors specialize in fighting with multiple weapons and are essentially swashbucklers. While I understand not allowing them to be lawful, this class seems more chaotic in a love of freedom rather than malicious way. Of the classes in the book its the one that I think fits best in a standard adventuring party. Definitely making this one available to players when I run Secrets of the Black Crag.

Houris (chaotic or neutral) are variant magic users that rely on seduction, deception, and enchantment magic. They have a mesmeric sway and can produce various effects with their kiss. This class would be excellent in urban focuses games. It's also one I could see making some players uncomfortable. 

Jesters (chaotic and neutral) are variant acrobats that excel in mockery and being flashy. This can lead to them being underestimated by foes. Like the duelist, this seems more chaotic in a freedom-loving way to me, making it appropriate for traditional parties. 

Red Wizards (chaotic) are magic-uses that lust for power and specialize in destructive fire magic. They have their own fiery spell list. Red wizards never ask how big the room is before casting fireball.

Witch (chaotic, neutral, and lawful at the referee's discretion) is a classic variant magic-user. They have familiars, use arcane magic, and can brew special potions. They have their own unique spell list. I haven't compared this one to Tim Brannan's witch, but it seems like a solid class and I can see using it my games. This is also another class that works great for villains but is also suitable for players. 

The book has a nice layout. All of the art is appropriate and invokes what the author was going for. I'd say this is one that all OSE referees could find useful. Even if you don't plan on running a chaotic campaign or want your players to use them, this is a great toolkit to make villains and rival adventuring parties.

Under The Bridge Downtown...

Underbridge is a queer dark fantasy hub setting by Xkalayd. It's pay what you want and written for Old-School Essentials. Your mileage using this one will vary. Especially because it deals with some hard real world topics like marginalization, bigotry, addiction, and police brutality.  Page two includes a content warning, which I appreciate. That being said, I thought it was interesting and wanted to share. 

The default setting for Underbridge is a city where an alchemical revolution has lead to the formation of megacities. Underbridge is the undercity literally built under a bridge. It is home to the "deviant scum" of the nation. 

There are 12 plus locations. In these locations there are new spells, adventure hooks, substances to take, and a lot of intrigue. There are 12 important personalities/creatures. While no stats are given, there are equivalents. For example, the Sauna Salamander of the Black Mass has the same stats as a black dragon. The humanoids are classed characters. A nice feature is there are basic and advanced suggestions given for each. Ope Andrews, the Host of the Hall, is a magic-user if you just have Basic OSE, but if you have the Advanced version he's an illusionist. They are fleshed quite a bit too. We're presented with how they're seen, how they perceive the others, and what makes them tick.

If you couldn’t tell this one is left leaning. Beyond all of the LGBTQ+ representation, there’s a lot of mention of revolutionaries and manifestos. Additionally one of the main villains is a slumlord and cops are a common foes. While the class is a champion of nature, the Mud Wizard class seems appropriate for this mini-setting.

There's definitely some weird stuff here. Need 12 fantasy kinks with dynamics, history, and legality? Most folks are gonna say no, and that's okay. However, some people might find it interesting. I mean I do, even if I probably won't ever use it in a game. 

The pdf also isn't the easiest to read. The background is dark and the text is a blue-ish color. You're not going to be able to print this one out. I also don't care for the fact that the first couple of pages are in portrait, but a majority is in landscape. That last bit is just a personal quibble. 

Ultimately if you aren't offended by counter culture stuff and like material with a queer aesthetic, I think this could be a great resource to help flesh out a city (even if you don't go the alchemical megacity route). 

Oddball Mercs with Odd Quirks

Oddball Mercs with Odd Quirks is a pay what you want system neutral collection of unique hirelings. It was written and illustrated by Aleksandar Kostic aka Art of Caustic. The product's page says that sometime in the future D&D (I assume 5e) and OSE stats for the characters will posted. Seems that this came out a few years ago though, so it may not happen.

Each merc has the following information: art, name, attributes (presented as star ratings), equipment, abilities, required wages to obtain services, and goals (both low and high priority ones). They are:

• Brutus Mutantus - an urchin mutated into a hulking three-armed gladiator
• Zorr and Xann - conjoined twin magicians 
• Tuskk - primal warrior born from the swamp in order to avenge a slain dryad
• M. Giraud Le Colosse - hog riding knight on a mission
• Professor Lazarus Vex - alchemist tainted by primordial gods 
• Cyclops - one-eyed punk and prophet of doom
• Eleanore Mourne - no-nonsense noble turned outlaw
• Ophelia Mourne - Eleanore's little sister, turned into a lizard person
• Titullah Buul -  rotund firebreather and beast tamer on the run
• Petry Von Bern - goblin turned jester after being punched in the head too hard. 

The art for these npcs is weird in all the best ways. Several of them can be connected (not just the Mourne sisters). For example, multiple have connections to hags or alchemy. The character goals could also be used as plot hooks. Instead of hirelings, the characters could serve as patrons and quest givers. I'm glad I stumbled upon this one and I hope some of you find it useful too. 

Secret of The Black Crag Review

Written and illustrated by Chance Dudinack and published by Silver Arm, Secret of the Black Crag is an OSE pirate adventure. Designed for characters 1-5, it's an island-crawl sandbox. Clocking in at 95 pages, this hardcover is packed full of OSE content. Inspired by Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Monkey Island, the adventure is a great mix of action and quirky humor. 

The adventure starts in Port Fortune, a wealthy port in the archipelago known as Salamander Islands, unofficially ruled by the pirate lord, Red Roger. A legendary dark island with a mysterious past has risen from the depths. This island holds ancient secrets and the plunder of the legendary pirate Janzoon.  

Great detail is given to Port Fortune. Ten locations (each with an important NPC) are detailed (some a little more than others). Pirates, whores, and even an enchanted sea hag occupy the town. Every location has some sort of hook to get the characters invested. Pirate crews, a pirate generator, plus rumor and encounter tables help bring the port to life.

I wouldn't expect an island hopping adventure to have a traditional dungeon, but that is what the titular Black Crag is. There are two cavern levels, a fallen city, and a palace to explore. There are four different factions the party can play off each other. Some cool roleplay opportunities are presented. The island is tied to ancient aliens which adds some fun sci-fi elements to the whole adventure. 

While Black Crag is the ultimate focus and impetus of the adventure, it's an island-crawl so of course there are other islands (to um... crawl upon). The map of the Salamander Islands includes 20+ islands. Many of these are keyed locations, though there are also several unidentified ones that you can do whatever you'd like with them. There's nice variety of locations. My favorite location is the Temple of the Monkeys. Intelligent monkeys and a gorilla dressed as a pirate captain? Hell yeah! There's also a nice nod to The Odyssey in Nereus the cyclops. Plenty of encounter charts are given to help a GM populate the unidentified islands. Expect a future post discussing how I'd expand the adventure. 

There are four appendices. The first features several pages of monsters. The second presents a few pages of new magic items. This is followed by some quick and dirty underwater adventuring rules. Finally there is a list of inspiration, which includes the franchises I mentioned above (as well as a few other).  

I really dig the art and the pieces in this post are my favorites . The writing is excellent too. Chance gives enough information for a GM to use, but doesn't over do it. There are many courses the party can chart, which allows for a variety of play styles. Even the Black Crag itself has multiple entrances, paths, and routes. Another aspect of the design I like is that the traps are telegraphed. Much like the impaled skeletons in Indiana Jones films that warn Indy of traps, chance includes set pieces like this to warn canny players. 

If you want some nautical OSE fun, this is a must have. I definitely want to run it soon. You can pick up the pdf on DriveThru RPG here. A print copy can be ordered from Games Unlimited here.

Green Devil Face #7

Earlier this week I discovered that  that Green Devil Face #7 (the official zine of Lamentations of the Flame Princess) includes a succubus class. Of course that means I needed to grab it. 

The zine starts with a introduction by James Raggi. He gives a manifesto for this issue of GDF (while also being cheeky and admits that it's cheaper and easier to release). Unlike the typical slick looking release by LotFP, this one looks like an old school zine. The text looks like it was typed on a type writer and some of it looks taped on. There is little art and it's all amateurish and hand drawn. This isn't a critique, because that's the point.

Leo Ruotsalo's 48 Ways To Use A Dead Princess is a table with 48 entries. This is the first of  two d48 charts. Each entry presents a new magic item created from the macabre remains of a dead princess. Some of these are really humorous, like the asshat and noble money maker (made from the buttocks and lady bits of a princess respectively). I will never use this chart as a whole. However, I really do like some of the items and will probably use them as twisted treasures. 

Tim "Samwise7" Harper's 2D6 Death & Dismemberment Table of Doom is a 2d6 chart you can roll on when a character dies. Some of these actually allow your character to survive, though you might be maimed in the process. This one is fun and despite its name, can add some life to your game.

Nik Stanosheck's Succubus class is next.  The class is short and sweet taking up only a page of the nearly 50 page zine. Obviously not going to reproduce the class or be too specific. I'll just say the class is essentially a variant cleric, with special consideration to spells and healing. This is the reason I bought the zine. I'm not saying I love this one, but its solid and definitely usable. 

Luca Negri's Esperantian Standoff is an interesting encounter. It involves inquisitors, a "witch," some bandits in disguise, and a relic tongue. Awh Rats is another encounter that takes the cliche "killing rats in the basement" hook and adds a failed magical apprentice, a portal, and a new rat-related magic item. Of these two, I think I like Awh Rats more, though both seem memorable.

Another chart from Tim "Samwise7" Harper, d66 is a Critical Hit Damage Table. This one is pretty straightforward. In addition to the tables, there are two optional rules included, as well. This is a cool table, but considering how lethal old school D&D is, do we need it to be deadlier?

C.A. Paul's Think of the Children! is a short adventure idea. The party are hired by a conservative church to find missing children. If you want to role-play as some self-righteous parents. this could be fun to run.

Alucard Finch's The Barber Surgeon's Ruin is another short adventure. The party find a miniature girl in their pocket. She leads them to her home where they encounter miniature malformed psychopaths created by a magic Brazier. Of the adventure/encounters in the zine, this is my favorite. 

Tim "Samwise7" Harper is at it again with Revised LotFP OSR Spells: First Level. This article takes the 20 1st-level magic-user spells from LotFP and reskins and reworks them a bit. The spells are more visceral, thematic, and appropriate for the game. For example Magic Missile becomes Arcane Vivisection which calls forth a blade of magical energy to strike surgically at the magic-user's foes.

Aarok Eckstrand's The Gaol of Hubert Bristol is an adventure that definitely plays to the weird of LotFP's weird fantasy theme. They tricked into going to a strange prison with a poo-eating monstrosity and hunchback jailers. I don't ever seeing myself using this one.

Sah's Vampire Eaters is an interesting adventure location. Players come to an out of the way prospering town. They are welcomed by the friendly residents. They may seek out the mystery of the town's prosperity. You might have guessed by the title, but they have a chained up vampire that they harvest meat from. This one is gross and weird, but could be a interesting village to add to your game.

 J. Smaug Vestergaard's Heksen (The Witch) aka The Salem Post Office Incident aka New England Deliverance is an adventure for levels 1-5. Loosely inspired by the Nic Cage flick Season of the Witch (which despite reviews, I loved), the party needs to deliver a wagon (that seems to simple mail) to a fort. This is a nice adventure that is a race against time. 

OSR icon, Jeff Rients, presents The Tomb of St. Satan. This is a fun idea. Basically a community got it in their idea that Satan was converted to Christianity by Jesus. The adventure site features one of Jeff's blasphemous spellbooks (The Middle Testament, The Grimoir of St. Satan).

The final article is another d48 chart, this time we get Leo Ruotsalo's The 48 Weirds. This is d48 random outworldly phenomenon to permanently change with a person is. This isn't something that would be used often, but I'm sure it would be handy if you need to do something like this.

There's some fun OSR stuff in this one. If you want some new bits and bobs to add to your game check it out. The pdf of Green Devil Face #7 can be found here and the print/pdf combo is found here.

Yet Even More Free OSR Goodness From Itch.Io

 You know the drill. Here are three more free OSR adventures I've found and wanted to share. 

You're Trapped in a Bag of Holding! is a system agnostic one-page adventure with a name that says it all. The party find themselves in a bag of holding and have to get out. I think you could definite get a memorable session out of this one.

The Sepulcher of the Seven is an OSE adventure for levels 5-7. Centuries ago a half-elf/half-deer centaur led a group against the armies of a fae witch. She succeeded, but in the years since the church has erased the parts of history they don't want taught. In this adventure a party learns the truth of things as they explore a 39-room dungeon. This is a phenomenal adventure and I honestly can't believe it's free. If you want a detailed review of the adventure, check out Questing Beast's.

The Sunken Temple of the Amphibian God is a two page system-agnostic dungeon. In this site-based adventure an amphibian cult has taken over once noble ruins. The first page contains a keyed map and the second describes the rooms in a bit of more detail. 

Burn Rubber with Greasers & Ghouls

Greasers & Ghouls is a b-movie horror rpg by Bloat Games. It was written by Josh Palmer. The cover was done by Phil Stone, while the interior features art from Christopher Torres, Bradley K. McDevitt, and Rich Hershey. You can get it as a pdf and/or as a gorgeous 137 page hardcover. Like many Bloat Games releases, this uses their SURVIVE THIS!! osr rules set. I've talked about ST rules many times on here so I'll be brief. It uses familiar D&D attributes and a basic roll a d20 and add relevant bonuses system. As far as classes for G&G we've got the following:

All-American Kid, Badger Scout, Beatnik, Biker, Bully, Cheerleader, Farm Kid, Greaser, Letterman, Soc, Square. Sweet Baby, Teen Idol, Thorned Roses

The skill section has everything you'd expect. A few new ones I don't remember seeing in previous ST books are Fighting: ROTC/Military and Homebrewing (aka bootlegging and recreational chemistry).  The equipment section has everything you'd expect. Since cars were such a big deal in the 50's, there's a more time spent discussing them. In addition to the standard equipment chart for vehicles, there's also charts for upgrades. Additionally we get some chase and vehicle rules.  This is a handy addition to the system (though variations have been seen in a few ST games). Most of the play rules are the same as other ST games, though there is a section for new horsemanship rules. This may seem a bit out of place, but considering the game takes place in Kentucky horse country, it shouldn't. 

I've previously mentioned We Die Young is the spiritual sequel to Dark Places & Demogorgons. Greasers & Ghouls is the literal prequel to that DP&D, with a default setting of Jeffersontown, KY. That's right, Greasers & Ghouls gives us a look J'town's past. Instead of the standard ST list of generic npcs and such, we're presented with more detailed 22 Advanced Story Hooks. Nearly every one of these includes stats for a new menace for your party to encounter. They are all fun and iconic. I think the one that really stands out is Drive-In Mayhem/ Giant Radioactive Critters Attack!!. Giant animals are such an iconic 50's monster trope. The section includes 37 different animal statblocks and 4 templates to make them creepier! I think I should also point out there are some familiar faces for DP&D loves. Tara the Clawed Menace is a new urban legend in J'Town in the 50's. We get the origins of the little green men (long before they fell in love with Conway Twitty). Finally you know the Pope Lick Monster has to make an appearance. Following the hooks, we get a map of Jeffersontown in the 50's and some locations within the town (including a list of the best places to drag race). 

The book ends with an index and a bunch of useful information about the 50's: slang, what kids were into, fashion, things that were common then but scare/gone now. This is a nice 50's primer and definitely useful for GM's and players.

Greasers & Ghouls is a fantastic addition to the SURVIVE THIS!! line. It works particularly well with the more horror-centric books in the line. Again, because the game is set in J'town, I feel like this one is a must have for fans of Dark Places & Demogorgons. You could do a really cool generational or parallel game if you had both. Characters have a character in the 50's and the 80's and you could weave the events together. Now that I say that, I might have to do it myself.

Where to buy: pdf, hardcover

More Old-School Goodness From Itch.Io

Here are some more fun and free/pwyw OSR goodies I've found on itch.io. 

The Perpetual Cheese is a pamphlet adventure by TabletobRPG. There is no real plot, per se. It's just a cave complex your party will come across. A group of kobolds have discovered a lost shrine to the Dionysus (the god of cheese and wine in this incarnation). Being master cheesemakers he's gifted them with a perpetually growing cheese culture (which is a cheese culture slime in game terms). Unfortunately for the kobolds a group of kobold-eating dwarves has entered the complex. This adventure sounds really fun and I can't wait to use it. I do think it's odd that the fact the dwarves will eat another sentient is just casually mentioned. Also, the kobolds in this adventure are the more modern little dragons, rather than classic canine-like humanoids. This last point isn't a big deal to me and I'll just reskin them when I use it. 

The Place in the Bog is a short one-page low level adventure site made by Skullfungus to be used with most old school fantasy rpgs. The stats are very bare bones. The party is urged to find the source creating spudlings (which I imagine are some sort of potato-based humanoid) This can be a standard hack and slash, though players could also roleplay through this one. I adore the art Skullfungus makes. His style is fantastic!

Finally if you are looking for some unique foes for your OSE games I recommend The Fae Queens and The Nightmare Angels by Pitch Black Lair. The Fae Queens presents three powerful queens from beyond the stars. The come from the Far Realm, though unlike normal denizens of that realm they appear to be quite beautiful. The Nightmare Angels is a similar product overall. It presents three angels. A blazing stone fell from the sky and when it did everyone on the planet had the same nightmare. From this nightmare three angels, inspired by three concepts from the nightmare came into being. Even if you feel like using the background flavor, these are some unique and powerful foes to include in your games.

Gunslingers, Giants, and a Haunted Castle

Here are three free/pwyw Old-School Essential pdfs found on itch.io that I thought were cool and wanted to share.

Class Concordance #1 presents the gunslinger class. I assumed this might just be an OSE adaptation of the Pathfinder gunslinger or something like that. It is not. Though I only have a passing familiarity with Stephen King's Dark Tower series, these gunslingers are based on the ones of those tales. They are lawful warriors that serve an order and answer to higher powers. As far as class features are concerned they get a few at 1st level and a few other as they level up. For example they don't get their order's iconic weapons until 3rd level. The pdf ends with list of Otherworldy Beings based on King's mythos. It looks like it's supposed to be a d20 list, but it is numbered 3-19. Number 19 is The Author. Cheeky. I'm going to be honest, this one isn't really my thing, but I'm sharing it become I know folks love the Dark Tower books. Finally though the image says $1 it is PWYW (at least at the time of posting).

This is my WEIRD little GIANT is a giant-based tri-fold pamphlet. This one is fun as hell. It allows you to make each of your giants unique. We are presented with base stats. The rest of the pamphlet is random charts. There's one for figuring out how tall your giant is (which affects HD), how dangerous it is (which gives you abilities). There are also charts that allow you to figure out what your giant eats and their attitude. Of course it has chart that let you figure out why your giant is unique. Additionally there's a chart about what's in the giant's bag. I really appreciate this being included. The first issue of Dragon Magazine I bought had a chart like this. Finally there's a chart that let's you figure what the giants in your world. 

Castle Korpenhall is a one-page adventure. It was created by the illustrator/writer Gnarled Monster (who has released the fantastic looking Beyond the Borderlands series of zines). It was an attempt to turn Castle Ravenloft into a one-page dungeon. I think it does a fantastic job of capturing the vibe of Ravenloft and fitting it into limited space. One way this is done is by the map including items in the room and being more of an isometric illustration. In addition to OSE stats (which include the vampire Lord Blodig and other fearsome foes), there are Dungeon Revers and Mork Borg stats for the adventure. While the adventure is PWYW, if you pay $6 for it you also get an editable sketch of the original Castle Ravenloft and Korpenhalla.

Wait, Goblins Don't Wear Shirts?

While I prefer to post my own content, I also like sharing stuff I think is cool. I've been browsing itch.io, a site I don't use often, and found some really cool free/pwyw Old-School Essentials/OSR content. Today I want to share some of the great stuff from Goblins Don't Wear Shirts, a British rpg designer and illustrator. He has an anti AI stance, is pro trans rights, thinks black lives matter, and has a very open "Fuck Off Nazis" stance, so he seems like a creator I could get along with irl. If you are on Bluesky you can follow him here. Speaking of Bluesky, feel free to follow me if you're on the app. Now onto his adventures.

Goblin With A Ray Gun is a quirky one page B/X dungeon that's a throwback to early D&D adventures that combined sci-fi with fantasy. The lead into this adventure is pretty standard. The pc's are hired by Farmer Maggot to eliminate some rats that are loose in his basement/cellar. However, the real culprit of the mischief going on is Beebo, an outcast goblin that's somehow came across an ancient buried UFO. Along with the adventure, a supplement has been included entitled "OH GOD WHAT THE F*CK IS IT DOING NOW!?" This includes three d4 charts: Laser Beam Excavation (new areas to add to the map), Beebo Ups Her Arsenal (more sci-fi gadgets), and Wait... Did You Hear That? (random sci-fi complications/occurrences).  This isn't a standard adventure, but by the gods it sounds super fun. It could even kickoff a campaign.

Tarley's Bathhouse is a system agnostic adventure site. It's a spa/resort in the mountains. Unfortunately old Tarley is actually an evil cultist that likes to kill and rob his wealthier guests. The map for this one was done by Skullfungus which means it gets extra points from me.

The Dead Ermine is a one page OSE adventure featuring an alehouse, brigands, and a killer weasel. The titular alehouse is frequented by criminal types. A group operating out of it have recently captured a mustela mortis. This ferocious weasel creature has a deadly breath weapon. For one reason or another the party must retrieve the killer critter. This one is fun and can be dropped into pretty much any fantasy city or town. The Dead Ermine could also be a roadside tavern, tbh.

So You've Agreed To A Quest Whilst Drunk is a one-page Hangover-inspired B/X quest. The party is woken by a noble's courier who demands they hand over "the package" they signed a contract to deliver. The have until sundown to hand it over, or else!  An investigation leads the adventurers to a smuggler's den and the package. Players like to have their characters get drunk after adventures, so this is a fun one to spring on a low level party after a night of such carousing. 

The Tumbledown Tower of Magnificent Malangana is a one page B/X adventure set in an abandoned wizard's tower. Once again the players are hired by Farmer Maggot, although this time it's to kill a livestock-killing bear that's taken up residence in the tower. What adventurer doesn't want to poke around a wizard's tower?

The Death of Old Fred is a one page B/X adventure. While preparing the body of recently deceased citizen, Fred, hedge-witch-in-training Alice was attacked by him. She offers to pay the party to get Fred back and intact. I really got a kick out of this one and its a great example of an adventure that makes the players really think about their tactics instead of just hacking and slashing.

The Pyre of Kaylon Moss

The Pyre of Kaylon Moss is a tri-fold pamphlet on a slick cardstock style paper so this will be a short one.Written for Old-School Essentials it would work with any OSR fantasy game with a little work. It's a short adventure that sees the party boarding a cursed whaler ship (which has ten different locations). The ship is forced to repeat the explosive incident. The party will encounter ghost whalers and their captain, as well as an undead piecemeal whale. The grossest foes are blubber oozes. While exploring the ship the tragic incident repeats itself, changing how npcs react and upping the danger level. 

Any OSE game that features an ocean or the coast could benefit from this fun encounter. I snagged it because of the Freeport OSE game I want to do.

Grab the pamphlet and pdf here.

Magen Chaim

Maigen Chaim is an Old-School Essentials zine focused on Jewish monsters and magic. Written by John Baltsiberger and Jack Zaientz and is a co-production of A Madness Heart Press and Lost Pages (creators of the fantastic Genial Jack zine). The art is made of collages created by Zaientz made from public domain pieces.

The first section of the zine discusses building a monster hunting kit. We're presented with nine different herbs, minerals, etc. Each item has one to three uses mentioned after their description. These provide minor game benefits and will be very familiar to anyone that knows a lot of folklore. For example under the salt entry it mentions that some creatures are incapable of crossing over a line of salt. I want to start including more things like this in my games, and I feel its easier to do so in OSR games that things like 5e.

The second part of the zine presents six new monsters from Jewish lore with stats. Shape-shifting women, estrie are hemovore that prefer to feed on children. Not inherently good or evil, the Sheydim are halfborn; part human and part shadow. The charred dead are wicked corpses forced to gather wood to keep Hell's fires burning. Dybbuk's are evil souls that have escaped eternal punishment and hunted by angels. They can possess the living. Lantukh are trickster house spirits. Finally a seraph is a winged, burning-cobra empowered by the flames of the nephilim.

Finally there are three new class/variants. I will talk about but can't really compare the second and third variants to their originals because I don't have the Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy Genre Rules.

The first adventuring class is the Baal Shem. These variant clerics are wandering rabbi who've mastered Name Magic. They are mystics  and wandering monster hunters. Like regular clerics, they can turn undead, however, they can't destroy undead this way and the only armor they can wear is leather. These divine casters can use magic from both cleric and magic-user spell lists. However, they must observe the Sabbath and follow the 613 mitzvot. This makes them quite power, but means they must live very strict lives. I really like the idea of this class, but it seems like one that would require a lot of outside knowledge and have some very strict roleplay rules.

The second class is the Babski Refues. This druid variant has a gender requirement, as only women can practice this form of rural folk magic and remedies. Their magic is tied to their journals and these act as spellbooks. They cast druid and illusionist spells and can turn undead. They have identify plants and animals, discern clean water, and are resistant to poisons. They eventually gain the ability to communicate with animals. Also there is no mention of druidic hierarchy so it seems they exist outside of normal druidic society (which makes sense given their background).

The third class is the Red Jew. I have never heard of the legend of the Red Jews but they are believed to be members of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The class is a barbarian variant. They are agile fighters, masters of ambush, hate magic (outside of that practiced by the Babski Refues). Additionally being nomadic mount dwellers they have several skills that help them survive mountainous wilds. 

These classes are cool, but I doubt I add them to any of my games. While they could be adapted, unless I was playing a game set on Earth I probably wouldn't use them. Honestly even then, I'd probably restrict them to npcs because I don't want to be insensitive. 

Ultimately I'm not in love with this zine, but I don't dislike it either. I appreciate it for what it is and will definitely use bits and pieces from it in my future games. If the zine sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can grab the pdf or print copy at Madness Heart Press. I ordered the print/pdf combo but have received my print copy yet. I may update this post and talk about the print quality when I get it.

Big Sword #1: Graves & Groves

Graves & Groves is another Dungeon Crawl Classics zine I picked up at Origins. The zine is a collection of material related to undeath and nature. The are several artists, but all of the art is great. I like that the table of contents is on the back cover, but isn't presented in a boring manner.

The zine starts with a discussion about party composition. In DCC its really important for a party to have the four core classes: warrior, cleric, magic-user, and thief. While Some classes, can fill-in for the roles (don't have a warrior, a dwarf is a good substitute), other classes (like the cleric) don't really have a substitute.  The two new classes presented are the Ranger (warrior/thief) and treefolk (warrior/cleric). While treefolk don't seem like a classic pc race, the author sites ents being listed as part of the "free peoples" of Middle Earth to justify their inclusion into the game. 

Downtime isn't something really discussed in DCC. Like the many classic fantasy stories that inspired it, adventures typically just go from adventure to adventure. I think downtime is a fun part of gaming, so I appreciate some thoughts and rules for adding it to your DCC game. 

Keeping with the nature them, there are two pages worth of herbs presented. Each herb has a name, location it can be found, and what effects the herb has. One page includes seven legendary herbs. They are powerful ingredients and can be used to inspire adventures and grand quests. The other page includes 12 mundane herbs, which includes the information mentioned above and DC for finding them. 

There are three new nature-based spells. The first can be used by clerics. The other two are for magic-users. The new Treefolk class can use all of these spells. My favorite of these spells is Chimeric Graft which allows you to graft an animal body part onto another creature. 

The zine also includes undead related pc material. Death isn't a rarity for DCC PC's. However, it's not the end. It is possible that the character can rise as a Revenant to gain revenge. This is done by a roll, which is modified by different things related to the character's death. Revenants gain powers to help them get their revenge. The other character option is dhampir. With a judge's permission a player can have their character be born as a dhampir (which comes with powers and weaknesses). It's also possible to become a dhampir through other means during play. 

There is a six page toolkit to help judge's create vampires. While DCC isn't a game of balance, there are some relatively balanced vampire creation rules. I like this personally, but you don't have to use the point-by power system if you don't want to. 

One of my favorite parts of DCC is patrons. Graves & Groves includes patron stats for the Prime Vampire. This includes the basic tables you need for a patron; Invoke Patron check results and Patron Taint. It also includes three new patron spells. 

This is followed by a fourteen page hex-crawl adventure called Vow of the Vampire. There are maps, charts, and everything you need. There's even a really cool magic sword. The adventure is primarily designed for level 1 characters, but can be played as an extended adventure with a large 0-level party. 

The zine ends with a mini-bestiary that goes with the natural and undead theme. The Giant Newt is my favorite new monster just because it has a really annoying, but fun ability. The Fungal Zombie Spider sounds fun. Shambling Moss isn't anything new, but doesn't have a pre-existing DCC equivalent. We also get two different npc Treefolk statblocks, and template rules for Revenant.

The book ends with a treefolk starting occupation chart.

There's a lot of great new content for your DCC game here. I think it plays really well with Nightworld, Macabre #1, and Vampire Blood. Grab your copy today at the Goodman Game Store.

Goblins!

This past Friday I attended Origins Game Fair in Columbus. My original plan was to run games with Lurking Fears, but due to things earlier this year, I had to stop my commitments. However, thanks to my friends at Limitless Adventures, I was able to go for a day at no cost. As usual, most of the money I dropped was at the Goodman Games booth. Over the next few weeks I'll review some of the items I picked up. 

Today I'm going to talk about Goblins!. This is a 16 page zine for Dungeon Crawl Classics. The writing is easy to understand and the art is classic OSR/DCC style. It presents goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears as DCC classes. Each class has all abilities and things you'd need to make a character, including three tables (level, titles, and starting occupations),

Goblins are stealthy little buggers. They can backstab, sneak, and hide like a thief. They have infravision which helps them see in the dark. One of the most interesting traits they have is bad luck charm, which is the opposite of the halfling's good luck charm trait. They can spend their luck to lower the rolls of other creatures they can see. Also, like halflings they regain some spent luck overnight.

Hobgoblins are strong fighters. Like warriors they have deed die and can perform Mighty Deeds of Arms. Hobgoblins have an interesting trait because they are trained in formation fighting. Allies standing next to the hobgoblin gains a variable bonus to their AC.

The final class is my favorite goblinoid, the bugbear. They are large size which allows them to do feats of strength smaller adventures couldn't dream of. They are also experts at being in charge. They can command others to take actions, sacrificing their own. They can howl orders at allies and buff them in similar ways to D&D bards. Finally, despite their size bugbears gain climb, sneak, and hide like thieves. Having infravision, they can also see while doing so in the dark. 

I can see some fans of the DCC not being into this zine. "Monsters are unique" is a key point of DCC. However, I've never really seen goblins as monsters. They are humanoids, so I put them somewhere between humans/demihumans and monsters. Personally, I grabbed this one because I love goblins and I've been thinking about using DCC rules to play in some established settings, like Freeport or Greyhawk. This would be a great resource for doing that.

Grab your copy of  Goblins! today from the Goodman Game store today.

Delicious In Dungeon and the Ship's Cook

This weekend I started watching Delicious in Dungeon. It's a dungeon crawling action comedy anime released by Netflix. Set in a D&D-esque fantasy world the series focuses on a party on a rescue mission in a megadungeon. They team up with Senshi, a dwarven fighting chef who's spent years dining on monsters in the dungeon. The series is a mix of dungeon action and cooking show. It's a weird mix, but works so well. So far the series has been pretty light hearted overall. I spoke with some friends that have watched it and have been told that it does get darker, but ultimately is hopeful in nature. The characters are quirky and fun, without being obnoxious and the animation is great.

If you've played D&D, the monsters and adventures will seem familiar, even if they have different names. For example the picklock Chilchuk is basically a halfling rogue. Marcille, the half-elven spellcaster seems like the stereotypical "I cast fireball" wizard when it comes to combat. Something I really like about the series is that it addresses the ecology of a megadungeon. It is revealed that Senshi is the caretaker of the upper levels of the dungeon and helps it maintain its balance. I know D&D is a fantasy game, but I do tend to like some logic with my D&D (though "it's magic" is also acceptable). If you enjoy anime and rolling dice, you should definitely check this one out.

Watching the series reminded me of a Old-School Essentials class I found while looking for nautical content for a Freeport game I want to run.  While it's called the Ship’s Cook, this class would work just as well in a dungeon and honestly, Senshi could have it. Charisma is its primary attribute and it has D6 hit dice. They can wear any armor and wield cooking utensils as weapons. They have built up resistance to poison and can create rations from fallen creatures (though there is a discussion about cooking and eating humanoids being taboo). They have bonuses on using knives, skewers, and pans as for weapons. Ship's Cooks can make bad food taste good and learn special recipes. These require special ingredients and have useful effects. As they gain levels they learn to make money and charm folks using their food. They can also create new recipes with new effects. I can't say its worth sacrificing one of of the classic core classes to play a Ship's Cook, but I do think they'd be a fun addition to a party. 

The Mud Wizard

The Mud Wizard is an OSE class inspired by a real life activist. The individual (along with thousands of other protestors over many years) fought against the destruction of a village in western Germany for mining purposes. Basically a man dressed as a monk/wizard confronts riot cops in a field covered in mud. The riot cops are getting sucked in, falling, and can barely navigate, while the "mud wizard" seamlessly moves through the difficult terrain.  I've posted two videos about it below if you want to see the action yourself. The first is more educational and gives context to everything. The second is just a really entertaining Ozzy Man Reviews vid. 

Now on to the pdf. It begins with a discussion of the real life Mud Wizard and then discusses the class (both as a player option and Mud Wizard npcs). Despite being called Mud Wizards, practitioners of this magic are divine in nature, more akin to clerics and druids. They use the power of nature to turn pigs and tyrants. In game terms this translate to lawful humanoids, pigs, and other porcine creatures. Of course, they also cast spells. Their spell list contains some core OSE spells and some new ones. It's a fun, useful class, and I think a nice addition to any OSE game.

 

You can get the class by following this link and selectin a charitable donation of $2 or more. The specific charity isn't mentioned on the product page, but all sales profits will got to a non-religious, non-political environmental charity.

The Dead West Review

Grab you six-shooter and saddle up for SURVIVE THIS!! The Dead West .This one takes the familiar SURVIVE THIS!! rules used in Dark Places & Demogorgons and Bloody Appalachia and slaps it right dab into a demon and undead filled American western setting. Ruleswise it has familiar attributes, thematic classes, and roll a d20 and add your modifiers core rule.  Everything is compatible with other ST content which allows for maximum awesomeness. The setting is based on the American southwest, but isn't the American southwest (and I'll discuss it more in a bit).

Character Creation

After rolling attributes, HP, and Saving Throws, characters can either select or roll for a profession. Much like 5e backgrounds, these give players their starting gear and bonus skills. Then you choose a class. The are:

• Cowboy - embodiment of the Western lifestyle, you can be a rodeo or range expert.
• Demon Stalker - warriors dedicated to fighting the supernatural forces of the Dead West.
• Doc - a sawbones
• Faithful - individuals attuned to the holy
• Frontiersman - individuals more at home in the wilds than civilization
• Gambler - they know when to hold them and when to fold them
• Gunslinger - these masters of the six-shooter are expert duelists and can do trick shots
• 
  The Hand - This is all all-round solid jack of all trades class. They don't have any specialties, but they are solid allies
• Knife Master - graceful warriors skilled with small blades
• Lettered - scholars and educated types, there are four paths: academic, government, lawyer, and scientist
• Marshal - you are the long arm of the law
• Outlaw - these folks don't know the meaning of honest work, and take what they need
• Pugilist - hand to hand combat experts
• Riflemen - while gunslingers focus on six-shooters, rifleman are marksman of a different sort
• Soldier - highly trained warriors 
• Telesstic - special individuals born with and trained to use unique powers, paths include Life, Arcane, and Decay

The skills section looks familiar to most ST games. You roll a d20 and add the appropriate bonus (based on skill level, class features, and attributes).  New skills include Fighting: Old World Boxing and Horsemanship. We're presented with setting appropriate weapons and equipment, as well as a list of new magic items. 

Game Rules

Again most of the information presented here is standard Survive This stuff. There are new rules for Dueling and Horsemanship (which make perfect sense with the setting). After your standard description of how to play rules, we're presented with a massive 70 pages worth of bestiary. These stat blocks are quite varied. We get stats for undead, elementals, demons, regular folk, and legendary characters in the Dead West. If you play any ST game, this section is quite useful even if you aren't running The Dead West.

The Dead West

While a lot information about the setting can be gleaned from earlier section, we're then presented with 7 pages of Dead West information. The setting is quite interesting.  The town of Raimi Mission and the surrounding areas were enveloped in an impenetrable crimson barrier. The laws of nature changed those that were killed didn't stay dead (hence the name, the Dead West). Additionally powerful elementals and demons stalked the land. Twenty years have past since that fateful event. There are small bastions of civilization that still exist and most of these are connected by a railroad system. Most of these areas are given brief descriptions. 

The book ends with random encounter charts, as well as disaster chart. There's also an index (including references) and finally a bonus urban legend stat block.

Final Thoughts

The book looks gorgeous. It's the first of the standard sized hardcovers from Bloat Games. The art is fantastic.  Bloat Games regular Phil Stone did the cover and Christopher Torres did the interior art. It's got a great style and definitely a great buy for weird west fans. This a complete game and setting that is fantastic on its own. However, you can make it even wilder by using other SURVIVE THIS!! games. Take the vampire as race rules from We Die Young and make a  vampire cowboy. The beasties from the Cryptid Manual all slot into the setting perfectly. I also have to point out that if you're like me and love Deadlands but don't care for the original system of Savage Worlds, you can use the rules from The Dead West and play it.