It's been a bit of time since my last post, and now I'm off Twitter (find me on Blue Sky) I wanted to kick the blog back into gear by taking it all the way back to basics. That is to say, old school gaming and inspiration.
I've found myself digging back through OD&D, T&T, Dragon Warriors and a bunch of other yellowing, foxed game books and I'm inspired to write more about the OSR/traditional games than anything more modern, for the sake of focus.
See you soon!
In ancient days the Veiled Bishop demanded tithes of treasures from his subjects, all of whom worshipped him like a god. When riches became scarce the Bishop would instead take their very souls, trapping them in a reliquary. The tides of time would claim his flesh, but his foul reliquary stayed his malignant spirit, wandering the church ruins in search of new souls to steal.
Ruins of the Dread Bishop is a 4-page pamphlet adventure for use with Heartseeker, but is easily converted to other OSR games.
It's time for another creamy dollop of new games I see on itch that hit my brain just right.
Vyrmhack
by Feral Indie Studios
Now here's an interesting one. It's a grimy-looking fantasy skirmish wargame with roleplaying elements, with part of the draw being its compatibility with OSR scenarios. It plants its webbed feet firmly in the domain of dark fantasy, with characters like a mutated Decrepit Magus and a Noble Duellist fused to their armour. It's co-operative and competitive too, which I assume means can require a GM if you want. Looks great!
Vyrmhack is Itchfunding now, so go throw money at them.
https://feral-indie-studios.itch.io/vyrmhack
Magpie by Moonlight
by Anna Anthropy
Evlyn Moreu's art is always going to catch my attention, and I love magpies so how could I resist? Magpie by Moonlight is a one-page solo journaling game where you "collect" (nick) things and make your getaway before noting all your new curiosities in your ledger. I enjoy a one-page game with a bunch of flavour, so MBM was an instant buy for me, and maybe you'll like it too.
https://w.itch.io/magpie-by-moonlight
Elfland: Beyond the Fields We Know
by DragonPeakPublishing
While I'm not a DCC player (yet, I want to rectify this at some point) I have a soft and squishy spot for Lord Dunsany. Elfland is a setting size detailing the titular environ made famous by Dunsany's King of Elfland's Daughter and later a DCC module The Queen of Elfland's Son. Basically, six adventuring locations also written in a way to service the solo player.
https://dragonpeakpublishing.itch.io/elfland-beyond-the-fields-we-know
Runecairn Bestiary
by By Odin's Beard RPG
Another Itchfunder and this time for a bestiary for the wildly popular Runecairn, which I finally picked up at Dragonmeet. The art by Kim Diaz Holm in this look incredible, holy moly! It's 100 new monsters for the game, with conversion rules and ways to create your own wee beasties.
https://byodinsbeardrpg.itch.io/runecairn-bestiary
Souvenirs
by Rémi Töötätä
My last pick is a cosy little number called Souvenirs, part of the Tiny Keepsake Jam. Lookhow adorable this is! I love the art and of course I love a pamphlet. It has a similar theme to Magpie by Moonlight but here you're going on a week long holiday and bringing back nice trinkets, including gifts for your friends. I'd definitely play this with a mug of coffee and some lo-fi hip hop on in the background.
It's time for another slab of sizzling new stuff that caught my eye on Itch this week.
Throne of Avarice
by SoulMuppet Publishing
Aright, full disclosure that Brian Yaksha is an online chum of mine and a Very Good Game Designer. I've had my eye on SoulMuppet's Throne of Avarice when Zach was throwing out some development bits on Twitter and it looks super sweet. Created for Best Left Buried, this is what the blurb says:
THRONE OF AVARICE is a setting book and procedural generation toolbox for adventuring in the fantasy horror game Best Left Buried. The tools and tables within present Doomsayers with the means to generate the citizens, victims, regions, and reprehensible rulers of the Grand Duchy of Calmyn - a nation struggling to reclaim its dominion over the known world.
I'm running my first Itchfunder! I've just released GORGON ROT, a new wave of old school fantasy RPG influenced by Fighting Fantasy and heavy metal. It's all packaged as a CD booklet, so I'm raising money for a print run. It features:
This 12-page booklet contains everything you need to play, including a bestiary and pregen characters. You even get a bonus flyer called Foul Sorcery, which deals with necromancy.
You should go buy it https://trollish-delver-games.itch.io/gorgon-rot
