The Extraordinary Climb Ability Visualized

I present you, a mid level thief, demonstrating her Climb Walls Extraordinary Ability. 

I rule failed climb walls as "No convenient crack, etc. was found" rather than falling.  Damage is too severe penalty for attempting something that is a big reason to even bring thief along.  I want thieves to be utilizing their abilities. I want parties to be thinking of and executing interesting solutions to obstacles using Climb Walls.

If thief gets attacked mid climb or other "bad thing" happens, I'd probably require an extra Climb Walls check to "hold on". And a Save vs Petrification (my go to "react to avoid bad thing" save based on some early published modules) for half damage.

Also why I don't make it insanely hard (as written (esp in AD&D) or interpreted by many) to set up a back stab. If thief successfully "sneaks*" prior to combat, they get back stab on first baddy passing them by.  During combat if they spend round sneaking (and are successful) the next round they get to backstab **any** enemy. Party can choose to take out leader or wizard. But, only by investing 2 rounds (with possible failure) and probably leaving thief vulnerable "behind enemy lines".  Another tool / decision point for players to exploit.  

* my house rules combines move silently / hide in shadows into one skill sneak.  Sneak is the thematic thing going on. The implementation details (hiding in shadows, using distractions, cat stepping) are beneath the abstraction level of D&D.


Original Reddit thread https://www.reddit.com/r/whatcouldgoright/comments/lombqq/i_mean_the_stairs_were_right_there/

Owl Con 2020 Recap

Got back to Owl Con this year.  A great con at Rice Univ in Houston Texas. I ran a B/X session of Caves of Chaos. I had a blast, the full table of eight players had a blast. My friend ran Tegal Manor using OD&D and my other friend (I do have more than two) had an exhibitor booth hawking Scribes of Sparn wares. Mostly Planet Eris Gazetteer, map and modules. Being the shared campaign world several Austin OSR games run in.

He also did a much better job at taking photos and blogging about con than I ever will. So, I'll just direct you to his coverage on The Contemptible Cube of Quazar starting with this post OwlCon Live Blog Day One.  Half dozen or more posts after than one.  Be sure to look for "Professor" Norm and the serendipitous behind the screen photo of the DM's map!

Sadly I got sick and went home late Sat night. Looking fwd to Chupacabracon in May.

Celebrate the Birth of D&D, January 26th

Celebrate the Birth of D&D

Austin, TX D&D micro-convention

January 26th, 2020, noon to 5pm

Emerald Tavern

On January 26th 1974 (or thereabouts) the first rule books for D&D were published for sale. Come celebrate and rediscover the original edition of the game with experienced referees from the local area.

Several referees will be available to run games, using the original rules, house ruled or not, OD&D, AD&D, B/X, BECMI, or their retro equivalent.

No materials are needed. Pencils, paper and dice are optional. Characters will be rolled at the table or provided.

Currently scheduled referees:

• Steven Clark (and the event organizer)
• Jimm Johnson
• Tres Churchill
• Lawson Benett
• Norman Harman (me)
• Kevin Searle
• Nathan Jennings
• Anthony Huso

More information and to register interest (as a player or referee) visit the Austin D&D and Tabletop Meetup page.

---

[While googling for the above LBB image I found this blog, Why OD&D is my (sometimes) favorite RPG. Which, hey, I wrote! Rereading it, other than cringing at my writing style/voice, I get the same craving for hunk of open fire roasted meat. Although now, B/X is my system of choice to satiate that hunger. It sharpened my understanding of what I enjoy in this style of game. Quoting from the designer notes of my Wilderlands Campaign Book;

I really enjoy how B/X leans more towards “a game” than towards “story time” or towards “tactical battle simulator”. Players move their game piece around a “board”. Rather than being their game piece. A subtle distinction. Backgrounds, goals, character growth are emergent rather than preconceived and related. B/X is play over narration.

B/X is built to be a game of exploration and acquisition of mechanical power (levels, items, gold). Which is what I often want. When I don't I use some other rules. They all have a place.]

Echoes From Fomalhaut #2

I've been a big fan of Gabor Lux since I first read his stuff (maybe in Knock Spell, maybe from some OSR blog). At this year's NTRPGCon I picked up the first issue of Echoes From Fomalhaut and promptly ordered the 2nd issue. Which arrived today!

Produced by E. M. D. T. "First Hungarian D20 Society". Don't be scared away by d20ness. The style and feel is very much Appendix N inspired. It's not just another imitation of old-school sensibilities. It's its own product. And has a sprinkling of unique "spices" that derive in part from it's Hungarian roots, I assume.  Besides, Gabor Lux's and other contributor's work is great due to their ideas, structure, and writing.  Not statblocks.

What do you get? I haven't read it yet and this is not a review.  But I'm the happy owner of a digest sized 44 page, nice layout (a fair mix of modern / readable and callbacks / homages to zines of yore), varied and evocative / inspiring art (which for me as an RPG user is the most useful and valuable trait art can have). Plus a really nice looking on thicker paper, two sided, 4x digest size map. For $8 + $4 shipping to USA.

You can order the first two issues of Echos From Fomalhault and The Barbarian King from EMDT's online store.

Beyond Echos From Fomalhaut, there has been a significant amount blogged about and published (self-published, in OSR magazines, and other products). Much of it in Hungarian (to the loss of non-speakers, like me, I am sure) There are online English Fomalhaut Resources.  And I definitely suggest acquiring back Knockspell issues for the "Isles on an Emerald Sea" series.

Reading the first issue made me want to get on my DM cape and play! In fact I've since started organizing a Wilderlands sandbox starting with the Beekeeper adventure in that issue. Flipping through, it appears Echos From Fomalhaut #02 will be just as inspiring. I can't really say anything better than that [it makes me want to play] about an RPG product.

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!

Point Crawl Map, Durthos Region

In Planet Eris, campaign shared by Austin area DMs/players, I'm currently DMing an area around Durthos, "city of adventure". This area is fairly civilized, known, and small. My campaign focuses on city adventure and possibly exploring ruins / megadungeon, not wilderness exploration. All around great candidate for a Point Crawl map. 

The following map will be used on roll20 starting Friday (OD&D 6:30 CST, contact me if interested). Circles represent villages, city of Durthos and Valum Auster, a fort. "Heraldry" of controlling power is shown for all but two. A camp of miners too small to care about and adventurer supply boom-town outside Anatolis ruins/megadungeon which no one has control over.  I included the population of each village to provide players some perspective.  Also on "DM Layer" of roll20 I have names of NPCs, Inns, and the like for each town.  Blue triangles are "adventure" points.  Dashed red lines represent actual road.  Other lines are more abstract connections between points. Each link takes one day of normal foot travel. Except lines with blue dots are only 1/2 day.  Large red dots are "points" with nothing really interesting there and exist only to split longer routes into one day chunks. 

Clicky to embiggen

The time to move between points and if there is a link at all depends not only on distance but also more abstract factors such as knowledge of route, how often route is used, difficulty of terrain, and frankly DM fiat. But players aren't strictly limited to the connections. The links are just the easy, fast routes when they just want to get to big city and back. For example there's not even chance for encounter in northern half of map (between civilized dots). 

Compared to "hand-waving" a trip to big city, Point crawl provides more context (for verisimilitude, to riff off of, chance for unexpected, pointing out "cool stuff is on these dots, go there", etc.) for players and DM. But, aren't as "slow" to create or play as hexcrawling. What I've done here isn't the only way to use point crawl. They can also be used for traditional, exploratory crawl the wilderness as in The Hydra Collective's Slumbering Ursine Dunes. And in modified form, a way to map and run a huge ruined city. But, that is a post for another time...

Why OD&D is my (sometimes) favorite RPG.

I've seriously played Original D&D, the Little Brown Books, twice in my life.  Long ago, in my early 20's, when I still had the white box and now, last year or so.

Many years earlier when my dad had bought whitebox for me, I looked at the goofy art and put them aside cause at the time I already had *Advanced* D&D. Why regress to something "inferior". At some later point, exhausted with the weight and complexity ("realistic" weather, economy, ecology, etc. etc.) of my own campaign world and especially with the endless splatbooks and crappy products being written by novel authors instead of game designers being churned out in 2ed area. Digging through all my junk found that white box, sat down and actually read them for first time. It hit me, that feeling, the same one wargamers in 1974 must have got. Awe, newness, excitement, wonderment that anything was possible, it would be easy, and fun!  Right there, I rolled up some characters (on plain ruled paper, no special character sheet) and started hexcrawling a random wilderness.

I play / played many RPGs, and try all editions of D&D. But always end up gravitating towards rules lite systems. First FUDGE, then Labyrinth Lord, more recently Swords & Wizardry (which is my 1st choice now). In Austin, TX there is large group of DMs and players using OD&D with shared set of house rules and campaign world, called Planet Eris. In between other campaigns I've been playing with them on/off for a couple years and will be starting my first OD&D Planet Eris campaign next Fri.

The appeal of OD&D (for me anyways) dawned on me while writing this somewhat tongue and cheek response to DM adding ranger class on roll20 (which I don't think you have access to so reproduced below)

BLASPHEMY! Damn you and your rules bloat.Where will it end? Subraces of hobbits? Comeliness attribute? Madness! Our forefathers succumbed to the seduction of splatbooks. Has their sad history taught us nothing! We play the original rules, not because they are old, but because they are NOT NEW! 

Sir, I reject your wanton modernity. And if my fighting trousers weren't in the laundry, I might have been tempted to call you out.

That line, "not new"... OD&D is simple and **simplistic**. There are almost no rules. Which forces everyone to be more creative, to use more of their imagination. Also, nothing new to learn, no new class/rule breaking game, almost nothing to rules lawyer, min-max, or argue over. Even the basis of the game is simple. While you could play massive RP/court intrigue, ODD doesn't lend itself to that. It's heavy on *game*. And a specific, simplistic type at that, the crawl game. Dungeoncrawl, Hexcrawl, Citycrawl. Explore, do stuff with things you've found, explore some more.

It's all so refreshing and easy. Even more so than S&W which has variable damage, more complex monsters, other stuff. Sometimes I feel like gourmet almond crusted chicken with some freaky berry sauce arranged artistically and accompanied by nice wine. Other times I just want a hunk of meat juicily roasted with fire.

Those times I crave OD&D.

"The Family" Thieves Guild

The Family Thieves Guild PDF

The Family

The thieves guild of Durthos calls itself "The Family".

Many rumors surround the Guild:

1. Main hideout is hidden as noble's mannor.2. Ruled by powerful monster; Succubus, lich, demon, vampire.3. Controled / Controls Noble family.4. Stealing from dead is prohibited.

Family Traditions
The family has long standing unwritten code that is well understood by its members. These traditions are one reason The Family has
survived and prospered.

• Don't cheat, steal from, or harm The Family or its friends.• Non-family operators must be reported and unsanctioned Jobs disrupted.• Jobs must be approved by Brother / Sister.• The Haul from a Job must be sold through Family.• During a job, murder, maiming, and property damage are to be avoided.• The Family does not steal from the dead.

Family Ranks
Members receive a Family name. The number of syllables in one's name denotes their rank.

"Cousin" 1 syllable name
levels 1-3.
20% haul fee.
Fence goods at 50% value minus haul fee.
Safe goods/gold Stash: 10% fee on withdrawal.
Assistance if caught by law, local, mark, etc.

"Brother / Sister" 2 syllable name
levels 4-8
15% haul fee.
Fence goods at 50% value minus haul fee.
Safe goods/gold Stash: 5% fee on withdrawal.
Assistance if caught by law, local, mark, etc.
Access to safe houses.
May plan Jobs, recruit Cousins.

"Uncle / Aunt" 3 syllable name
level 9+
10% haul fee.
Fence goods at 75% value minus haul fee.
Safe goods/gold Stash: 5% fee on withdrawal.
Assistance if caught by law, local, mark, etc.
Access to safe houses. Permanent residence at guild hall.
May recruit brothers and / or cousins for Jobs.
Member of Family's ruling council.

Adventuer's Guild

In Austin TX there are a collection of DMs and players running in a shared campaign world, Planet Eris. Each DM, so far, has taken responsibility for different area of the world. Typically around a dungeon.

One of the groups goals is to encourage characters to move among the various DM's campaigns.  As a conceit to travel times and DMs maybe not wanting certain powerful magic items in their campaigns teleportation gates are placed around the world guarded by "archons" who magically and temporarily strip characters of anything destination DM don't like.

I'm running a "city" campaign and wanted something "around" this gate, a bank without really being a bank, gold sink, and path for players to involve their characters in local factions/politics.  So, created the Adventurers Guild among several others. I'm normally dead set against anachronistic "meta" organizations like that. But, it fits in with archon gates and the city, Durthos, which I've dubbed "City of Adventures" due to its proximity to various adventure sites and cosmopolitan trade hub nature attracting, researchers, wizards, tomb robbers and rest of the "adventurer types".


Adventurers Guild PDF


Adventurers Guild
Several adventuring parties established guild to provide support to its members. They have received
charters from numerous sovereigns and may be found across the known world.
Secretly founded and controlled by, d4:
1. Wizard Zantanos, as means of gathering secrets and artifacts both long forgotten and well
protected.
2. The Emperor to keep tabs on and exert subtle influence over these powerful individuals.
3. Trickster god, there being no humans more chaotic and entertaining than "adventurers".
4. Thieves' Guild, it being easier to steal gold once someone else has hauled it out of the dungeon.


Guild Activities
Operate Hostels, Inns, and other "support" businesses at prime "adventuring" locations.
Member services. Including coin exchange, storage, appraisal, legal aide, and hard to quantify access to
network of adventurers. Arrange for ransoms to be paid.
Grant monopolies and concessions (when local situation allows).
Operate Gates - Guild Houses
5gp toll outbound, inbound always free. Store tax free >1000gp gold for anyone coming through gate.
10% (1% members) coin exchange (at gates).
Political Influence:
Pushing for low/no tax on recovered treasure. Encouraging expansion into "wilderness" and "border"
regions. Promotion of "adventurer as hero" image and a valued, needed part of society through art,
literature and song. Suppression / Spin of negative "press". Such as when adventurers accidentally
burn down a town. Similar pro-adventurer lobbying.


Appraisal
At major guild houses several experts are at hand to appraise Art, Goods, Gems, Jewelery and other
objects of value. Depending on local resources, guild may offer to buy appraised items. Esp. goods
needed by guild, low-value gems, or unique items for The Auction. Some such items are typically
available for purchase. Will issue semi-recognized cert for 5% fee.


Legal Aide
Registry and enforcement of wills. The guild will enforce local death taxes which range from 20-50%.
Guild will assist members who run afoul of the law with bail posting, hiring of barristers, bribing of judges;
whatever is "normal" for local jurisdiction. Much depends on nature of crime, guild's opinion as to
member's guilt, and member's stature within guild.
Guild will arrange for the payment of ransoms demanded for captured guild members, their retainers, and
companions. Gold and other wealth stored with the guild can be predesignated for this purpose.
Otherwise Guild will provide a loan at 20% interest. This ransom grantee is well known. Which both
protects members and makes them targets.


Monopolies & Concessions
In many regions the Guild has been granted (or more rarely operates by force) a monopoly to a particular
adventuring site: tomb, dungeon, etc. In turn the guild leases these to it's members. Larger more popular
adventure locations are often split up into separate monopolies and/or concessions (such as right to
collect entrance/exit toll).
Claims (to a newly discovered location or previously unknown level) may be registered with guild. If
legitimate a short-term monopoly will be granted. The trade off is you must reveal the location, means of
access and provide maps to the guild.


Storage / The Auction
At major guild houses members may store wealth and other items in standard sized chests. Items are
subject to inspection and dangerous ones are prohibited. If desired, an appraisal will be issued and the
guild insures against loss equal to this amount. Although, it is rare to hear rumor of a chest being stolen or
lost. If this is due to guild's security or their suppression of any such rumor is a frequent, if whispered, bar
room debate.
These chests will be released (only) to owner or validated inheritor.
If a chest remains unclaimed for 13 years it's contents are forfeit to the guild. Unclaimed contents are sold
at periodic auctions. Which attract a fair amount of attention. Esp when a famous adventurer's belongings
are purported to be on the block.


Guild Duties
• Be good of character, an upstanding representative of guild, and support fellow adventurers.
• Obey laws, customs and norms of local population. Pay all local tolls/taxes/tariffs/etc.
• Respect guild granted monopolies, concessions and all other guild edicts.
• Keep guild business within the guild. Grievances against a member should be resolved in guild
court.


Guild Ranks


Probate
Requirements
• Nominated by two existing members or pay 1000gp "evaluation of character" fee.
Rights
Free use of gates. Use of guild lodgings & other services.


Wanderer
Requirements
• 1 documented adventure / 2nd level
• 1,000gp total contribution to guild
Rights
• 100gp/level/annum dues.
• Free use of gates.
• Use of guild lodgings & services.
• Store 1 chest 13 years.
• Bid on unclaimed goods auction.


Hero-Adventurer
Requirements
• 4+ documented adventures / 4th level
• 5,000gp total contribution to guild
Rights
• 100gp/level/annum dues.
• Free use of gates.
• Use of guild lodgings & services.
• Store 5 chests 13 years.
• Bid on unclaimed goods auction.


Master Adventurer
Requirements
• 8+ documented adventures / 8th level
• 25,000gp total contribution to guild
Rights
• 100gp/level/annum dues.
• Free use of gates.
• Use of guild lodgings & services.
• Store 25+ chests and/or large objects 13 years.
• Bid on unclaimed goods auction.
• Part of Guild leadership

Quick, Grab Some Wonderful Weirdness from the Heart of Texas

I of course reference the Slumbering Ursine Dunes Kickstarter. Straight outta Hill Cantons! San Antonio area home campaign.

I, upped my pledge to "The Brad" level (The Full Brads had already sold out) after they, The Hydra Collective LLC, a newly-formed worker-owned company that aims to serve as a publishing vehicle for the DIY/Old School(ish) side of the rpg hobby, were nice enough to acquiesce to my overbearing demands and post the point crawl map preview cause I was working on point crawl of my own.

 

The Kickstarter has already blown past funding and several stretch goals. Funding now, you are guaranteed plenty of bonus loot. But, don't dither, delay, or dally, project is now in last couple days.

Btw congratulations to the whole crew. Some of whom I know. Which you may think influences my support their Kickstarter. But, I know lots of people and I'm not blathering on about all their Kickstarters. Besides Hydra Collective are a bunch of drunken louts, .

There are previews of the complete text are posted in various updates like this one describing the 5th Stretch Goal. Check out this side view, an unrelated work by one of the projects artists. Wow! It's like Old School version of Richard Scarry.

Damn, I knew this project was gonna be cool and haven't been following it too closely (busy playing games). But looking over things to write this up. I'm getting really excited about this KS. And impatient to get my grubby paws on this. 

D&D 40th Anniversary Game with Cake!

Went to the Emerald Tavern Austin game shop / pub / cafe for 40th Anniversary celebration. Played three little brown books edition Dungeons & Dragons, drank mead, and ate red velvet cake!

Booyah!

I rolled up a freakin murder hobo rockstar. 3d6 in order of course. 12 Str, 15 Int, 17 Wis, 14 Dex, 9 Con, 14 Cha. Best rolls of my life and then only 2 hit points. Named him Beorn, the Chaotic Acolyte (1st level Cleric) who has pledged his black soul to the Death Metal Gods.

Early on he acquired a goblin "slave" (henchman) and claimed a ring of three wishes! I used one wish to restore life to our Elf. Beorn figured having a wizard indebted to him would be useful. This also impressed the slave and cemented Beorn's superiority over fellow party member Cuthbert, the Lawful (blek) Cleric.

Gamers in their natural habitat.

I instructed Sniglet (the goblin slave) to lead party to the most fearsome monster it knew. Which turned out to be an Ochre Jelly.  The second wish was used to slay it D.E.D, dead. I allowed the hobbit to claim it's mighty treasure, a dancing sword, as I had no use for it esp as it was Lawful (blek).

By the end of the afternoon Beorn was 2nd level (and only 150xp shy of 3rd), had 1 wish remaining, a goblin henchgoblin and enough gold to make him hungry for more!

Get it? Dungeon & Dragons

Thanks to Brandon for making me come, Jimm for running the game, Nathan for the awesome cake and speech (he got whole store to sing happy birthday) and all my fellow party members for serving Beorn and keeping him alive. My your nightmares be filled with the screams of the Metal Gods.

D&D is 40 years old today.

According to this D&D is 40 years old today. Younger than me! I propose a toast to the ol'Dragon.

Huzzah!

And for those disinclined to drink inebriating beverages, here's a non-alcoholic Dragon Toast.

History of Pre-D&D Video

This month is D&D's 40th Anniversary.  Jimm J. alerted me to this great video on the pre-history of D&D via 12 "treasures", artifacts from the period leading up to 1974.

For more history and artifacts from the earliest days of roleplaying, check out Playing at the World blog.

B1 (free download) and D&D Classics Available Again

B1 In Search of the Unknown

Every edition available again! D&D Classics.  Seems a little slow at the moment.  Original editions must be popular or something ;)


Update: Site is down.

S&W Kickstarter

Speaking of Kickstarter...

You have until Tuesday Sep 4, 5:00pm CDT to get in on the Swords and Wizardry Kickstarter being run by Frog God Games.

I'm in at (of course) the TROLL level!  I kind of don't even know why, already owning several copies of various versions of S&W.  I guess "it is going to be in brick and mortar game stores" tickles my fancy and augments my purely selfish desire to have more people to RPG with.  And Erol Otus art, Also, must have custom dice!

Check out the totally bad ass patch included at >= $30

4x nerd power while wearing this patch!