Barrowmaze For 5th Edition

Barrowmaze Complete for D&D 5th Edition Kickstarter

I've bought the original Barrowmaze, Barrowmaze II, Barrowmaze Complete and loved every single one.  The concept is original and executed brilliantly. Maps are huge, beautiful and interestingly complex in the non-linear, fun to explore way. The art is great and complements the story, descriptions, encounters and details of the dungeon which is dripping with evocative detail.

I've only be able to run a dozen or so sessions of players through the Barrowmaze.  Mostly because the pool of face-to-face old school gamers is fairly limited. I'm stoked about a version for the hoards of 5ed players that crowd several FLGS couple nights a week in my area. And while I could convert it myself, or on the fly, I'd rather spend that energy in running the thing, consternating and delighting my players. Plus Stan Shin was one of if not the first to post 5ed conversion notes/system (which I've used and approve of). I have confidence Barrowmaze 5th ed conversion will be done well.

The Megadungeon 

The core of Barrow is a vast megadungeon. The content is broken up into sections so you can dive into the adventure without having to read the entire book first. The megadungeon content includes:

Over 600+ dungeon rooms

• 36 lavishly illustrated player handouts (each referenced in the text of the megadungeon itself) 
• A dedicated monster section each with individual illustrations 
• New magic items and spells 
• Random Encounters 
• Patron Generator 
• Random tables for Dungeon Dressing, Graffiti, Runic Tablet Results, Dungeon Restocking, Sarcophagus Contents and more! 
• Random Crypt Generator to create your own Barrows 
• Enough old-school content for literally years of gaming!

ThunderRexDome of I Want This

Role Play Rally, Austin TX July 16-17, 2016

Booyah!

roleplayrally.com

South Austin Two day RPG Convention.  Role Play Rally is 100% Adventurer's League. Which fits into my recent interest in AL. I mostly DM and was really jonesing to play (as a player).  I knew I couldn't commit to a campaign or regular schedule.  Adventurer's League to the rescue. It has downsides, because it's rarely the same group or DM, there less campaign/character/story building.  But you can take and play your character anywhere. Back to Role Play Rally ...

The highlight is the "Reclamation of Phlan" Epic. Multiple groups will be playing the same adventure at the same time.  One table's actions can impact the others. It's neat concept and I'm excited to be participating as a DM.

See you at Role Play Rally!

Rolemaster Post Apocolyptic

Awhile back friend, who had just seen Mad Max (a great disappointment btw), was bugging me to run a post apocalyptic campaign every time he saw me.

For the last month I've been semi-obsessed with the excellent rougelike Neo Scavenger which you should check out here http://bluebottlegames.com/main/node/2

Which got me wanting to run a pocolypse game. Now in the past that meant Gamma World or Metamorphosis Alpha. With crazy mutants and towards the silly fun side of dystopias. But, Neo Scavenger and what my friend was imagining was "realistic" and gritty. And what's the grittiest of gritty games? None other than...

Rolemaster

Aw yeah! I have four versions (plus two more sci-fi versions and various genre supplements) of Rolemaster. But haven't actually played it in 24? years...  Had to use RMSS/RMFRP cause I have most books for that (including 3 copies of core), RMSS Blackops gave modern professions and RMSS Arms Law, Firearms along with Privateers:Blaster Law provided the needed Bam Bam and Pew Pew to go with the hack and slash.

Keeping in line with Neo Scavenger and stealing from the Morrow Project characters

are part of The Project. A quasi-military, non-governmental organization created by a trillionaire to rebuild society after it collapses. They are members of a seven person recon team. Which in turn is part of a larger recon unit. The whole unit with equipment and supplies was put into "stasis" to be woken a few weeks/months after "the collapse". Along with other Project units all over the country / world.

The first session is team coming out of stasis and discovering things did not quite go to plan. Everyone has a varying amount of "movie" style amnesia. So, they may create as much or as little background / depth / history as they want. And may add/change that history during the game via "I just got some memories back." Amnesia also allows players unfamiliar with system hold off on some of character development until after they've played and learned how things work. It's really a great meta-game device I'm gonna reuse it.

Last Friday was first session and, cause Rolemaster, the entire session was spent creating characters. I like parts of RMSS but it's just too much. I would definitely use Rolemaster Classic or HARP in future.

First phase of campaign will be players just trying to survive. Get water, food, shelter. Then they will move onto scavenging and trying to get some actual gear and weapons while avoid being scavenged themselves. By this time, they are, hopefully pissed off and wanting revenge against the "Raiders". Motivating them to build/steal a vehicle and we move on to the Mad Max Punk Rock Road Battles portion of the campaign After that, well don't want to reveal too much.

The campaign map. Click to embiggen. I'm disinclined to discuss it much cause I'm sure my sneaky players are reading this post. I'm sure it helps that I understand what the map represents. But, creating and then looking at this has got me really excited to play. There's just so much potential action and fun represented.

D&D the Gansta Edition

Followed up by Hipster Edition.

Christopher Lee - Ghost Riders in the Sky

Wildspace

Wowzers!

A game that never was, Wildspace by TSR.

Christmas in March

I've been too busy playing games, DCC, 2ed, ODD with various board, war, and miniature games stuffed in between. But wanted to spread the word that the spectacular flood (over 300pages) of DIY greatness has arrived.  [quick browse I'm really impressed with the production quality. Really lot of work and great job done by the santicore team] 

Secret Santicore is Out

My Galdr Rune magic is here.

Planet Eris House Rules PDF

As I've mentioned several times in the past, many Austin area gammers, including myself, play and run campaigns in a shared world we call Planet Eris. Mostly at various FLGS. There are now two online roll20.net games as well (if interested in joining search that site for tags "ODD" or "Eris").

We share a set of house rules, which aren't exactly how I'd like things (but they are darn close). And what little fantasy heartbreak I incur is more than made up from having multiple DMs and players all interacting in the same world.

Thought others might be interested in the actual rules so with author's permission and without further ado I present the

Planet Eris: House Rules PDF

Pleskos Map

Yes it is a map of Pleskos (Gatetown), an adventurer boom town, outside ruins of Anatolis. Made for online, roll20, campaign I'm currently running.

Not all that exciting (the town is more interesting than map, probably post write up after players learn about most of it). Guess I'm posting it to encourage others to post their stuff. Even if you're crappy at art like me, or think it's dumb or boring, throw your shit out there. I bet somebody, someday will get a kick out of it. Or better get that push they need to do something of their own. Reading peoples blogs and seeing the stuff they do, has certainly kept me creating and playing.

Click it HUGE!