More Free and Cheap D&D

Wizards of the Coast is going to offer Free Basic D&D; there are a number of D&D-like games out there that offer a Basic Set for free. Here’s a list for you:

Pars Fortuna

This RPG began as a fun experiment for it’s author and ended up a playable and  unique variant of Swords & Wizardry with a unique set of player class/races, a whole caboodle of new monsters, a comprehensive spell list with a variant magic system, and a variety of interesting magic items. The Basic Set definetly gives you enough to explain the rules and get the apetite going for wanting more (not needing more).

http://matt-landofnod.blogspot.com/p/pars-fortuna.html

Spellcraft and Swordplay

An introductory version of spellcraft and swordplay for levels 1 to 3. Enough to get you started on this variant on the classic.

http://www.elflair.com/products.html

Blueholme

This is a fantasy RPG builds itself on a foundation set by the rules and flavor of the original basic rules for the most famous RPG in history.

The publishers website: http://dreamscapedesign.net/category/blueholme/

The Blue Holme Prentice Rules for for levels 1 to 3, it’s pay what you want so you can get it for free or chip in a couple bucks if you wish: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109409/BLUEHOLME-Prentice-Rules

Free/or Cheap and not just Basic (forgot to mention them last time):

Crumbling Epoch

As the author says it’s a pretty simple game with 12 pages of rules. It offers a new and clever spin on familiar themes with a different combat and magic system from the norm. Everything is laid out simply and a veteran can come to grips on the whole thing with a careful reading.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/116059/Crumbling-Epoch

Delving Deeper

A rehash of the original rules avialble in pdf for free as a bundle or a separate download of each booklet.

http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=4757

Dangers and Dweomers

The autho’s personal spin on D&D.

http://artikid.altervista.org/?id=Games&detail=Dangers%20and%20dweomers

Dark Dungeons

A comprehensive retro-clone that emulates the cyclopedia version of D&D. The pdf clocks in at well over 300 pages and covers pretty much everything you are going to need in an D&D-like RPG.

http://www.gratisgames.webspace.virginmedia.com/darkdungeons.html

Flying Swordsmen RPG

Fantays marital arts in a variant D&D rule set that does wuxia action well.

http://lordgwydion.blogspot.kr/p/flying-swordsmen-rpg.html

Microlite20

A whole collection of rule set to play fantasy RPG with minor tweaks to emulate specific older versions of the game.

http://www.retroroleplaying.com/content/microlite20-rpg-collection

Searchers of  the Unkown

The original searchers of the unknown (and all it’s offspring) are very minimal versions of fantasy RPG, all the rules in a page (or a maybe a couple extra). A very easy means for people who have played RPGS before to play with a few casual friends as 1 page of rules isn’t very intimidating.

There’s a bundle of different rules sets here:

http://www.retroroleplaying.com/content/searchers-unknown-rpg-collection

Carcosan People/Place Generator

A handy dandy super simple Carcosan village/place generator to populate weird and wicked realms. This is based on an old post of mine, with just a couple differences in odds and data. Click the button get a people and their leader.

Free D&D and other choices

Wizards of The Coast is releasing a pdf version of basic in an incremental release over this summer. It will be (according to press releases) as stripped down but entirely playable version of D&D. Some people consider it a simple marketing ploy, others see it as a boon to the hobby. I see it as the owners of the Dungeons and Dragon brand are finally catching up with the rest of the RPG market. There are a number of fine games out there that offer free versions in pdf form and have been doing so for several years in some cases:

Lamentations of the Flame Princess, or just LotFP.

 Is a darker take on D&D-like RPGs supported by a small publishers that puts out adventure modules that range widely in taste and style. I’d recommend it for players more familiar with D&D as some elements do need a modestly experienced DM to do well. It’s certainly worth a look and it’s spin on the classic magic system is good.

http://www.lotfp.com/RPG/

Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game

A well written recast of classic RPG rules with a few minor tweaks. It uses an ascending AC system where AC goes up and there are options to add details to the game that don’t bend it out of shape. It’s a very solid fanstay adventure game and I used it mysekf to run a series of modules from olf classical TSR ones all the way up to modern release with little issue. Neophytes and veterans could find it useful.

http://www.basicfantasy.org/

Labyrinth Lord

This recasting of classical RPG follow pretty closelt to the early/.mid eighties versions of D&D. It is a commercial relase by the small publisher Goblinoid Games but the no-art version of the pdf is free and includes the whole game. There are a large number of free or cheap expansions by other publishers and fans out there. Excellent for veterans and neophytes wanting to play a classical fantasy RPG.

http://www.goblinoidgames.com/labyrinthlord.html

Seven Voyages of Zylarthen

A reconstruction and expansion of the original D&D rules  that covers ground forgotten or underplayed by many other versions of the game. The books are inexpensive but the whole thing is also free in pdf. Old-timers will note the similarities and spot the expansions and newbies will have a playable version of the game similar to it's roots.

http://saveversusallwands.blogspot.com/

OSRIC

The old school reference and index compliation started out as a means to distribute rules and publish adventures compatible with AD&D without violating copyright. It stands on it’s own as a good solid game that anyone who played AD&D in the past will recognize and be comfortable with.

http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/

Epees & Sorcelerie

Started out as a reworking od classic D&D in French, it’s available in English too. This version of the game is very old school and goes it’s own direction somewhat but it presents an interesting and useable version of the classical game.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/nicolas-dessaux/ep%C3%A9es-sorcelerie-english-translation/ebook/product-17353069.html

Swords&Wizardy

An excellent retro clone of D&D in a few different edtions.  You can get the simple less complicated Whitebox versions, the Core Rules, or Swords & Wizardry Complete for free in pdf. I use Swords and Wizardy myself as a sort of default version of D&D-like RPG here in this blog a good deal of the time.

http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/

There are many other excellent games  out there that are available for free or have a free basic version that cover D&D-like adventuring. Do some web hunting you are sure to find them.

Monster Generator V0.1

Low-end no frills minimal monster generator version 0.1" Click the button, get a monster stat-line

You Are Here- Megadungeon Play

It comes up time and again, one of the biggest drags in megadungeon play is the players mapping the place as they go. Often the time sink of mapping as they go leads to boredom, annoyance, and simply dropping the idea of mapping at all.

But mapping helps folks navigate the megadungeon, without the map some of the scale and scope of the place can be lost. With experience players and DMs will learn a shorthand that works for each other but not every player has the same grasp of language and how it relates to images or imagined reality.

As an exercise and example I present the "You are Here" sketch:

If there is no immediate threat to opening the door and poking your head into the room what is gained by describing the above without simply showing the above as a sketch?
Yes yuo can add to what's on the sketch with language but just imagine describing that all to the players and not boring someone at the table.

"You open the door into a fat roughly L shaped room with your enterance near the top left corner, up a short run of stairs across from you is a nook which seems to hold a statue. To your right there is a jutting section about 10' by 10'  in the corner to your right, along the jutting wall section there is a sealed door in it's center, further along in that direction there is an overflowing gurgling fountain filling most of the area with a puddle of water, there appears to be a door in the far side from you along the short section of the L.The segment near you is 25 feet wide and the far section is just shy of 20 feet wide not counting the section with a door juttign into the room about 10', Overall the room is about 40 by 40."

Showing the art above with and elaboration of "You can't make out detail son the statue up the short stairs and the fountain gurgles as it slowly spills onto the floor." get's the job done.

Now I love hearing my own voice and quick use of language can be more flavorful than a quick sketch but one could use both in combination to greater effect.

These don't have to go onto a battlemat, or be laid out on a map by the DM but sketching problem rooms in advance can save a lot of table time.

Huge Stack of Comics

Almost totally unrelated to games, I just wanted to share this:

I have an aunt that is just 5 years older then I and up in her bedroom closet there was this huge stack of comics. I spent many an hour reading the books in this pile, it was a feature of vising my Grandmother's house. This pile was special, it wasn't just a regular collection it was a sampling of comics bith my aunts read, my uncle, my mother, and their slightly older cousins.

The pile of comics was heavy with Superman, Lois Kane, and Jimmy Olsen, with a smattering of Shazam, Captain America and the Fantastic Four.There were a couple romance comics, Huckle-berry hound, and a goodly number of Archies ; along with classic illustrated, a couple of war story comics, and some horror titles. The pile spanned from sometime in the early 50's to the very early 70's when I was still reading from it.

This wasn't a fancy comics collection it was a big old stack of comics many worn and battered, some missing covers. What makes it unique is it wasn't a collection of one person it was part of the childhood of my family. It was part of each of our youths it was there for all of us on rainy days or spare moments away from the noise and press of family gatherings, when we had a cold and had to rest under covers.

The pile eventually ended up migrating to my younger cousins ; the pile of comics lost a few books and gained some over the years. Last I saw it a couple years ago it was in the playroom of one of their children. I don't know if it survives to this day but I do know that pile of comics was with my family for six decades read by the children, grand children, and great-grandchildren of the owner;s of the home with that bedroom closet where the pile first accumulated.

50 Hyperborean Treasures

Fifty additional Hyperborean Treasures focusing on the valuable treasure side of things over more mundane loot. Some of these could be magical treasures but no wizard has inspected them as of yet.

50 Hyperborean Treasures 

1.      Raven Skull Pendant carved from Black Obsidian.

2.      Ash Wand topped with Raves Head carved from Red Jasper

3.      Rune Covered Oak  Staff, top third wrapped in golden wire and topped with a Raven Skull carved from Lapis Lazuli

4.      Shaman’s Rod topped with Black Obsidian Owl Skull

5.      Over-sized Raven Skull carved from quartz crystal. It would make a respectable crystal ball.

6.      Skull of Sabre-toothed tiger with fangs finely scrimshawed and skull set with silver inlay.

7.      Staff of petrified wood topped with Crow skull of carved from pale jade.

8.      Moon-Iron  Torc decorated in style of raven with outspread wings.

9.      Ceremonial Headdress of raven feathers topped with stuffed raven head bearing eyes of jade.

10.   Ice bear skull Pendant carved from a piece of pale jade.

11.   Helmet topped with Ice Bear skull sporting fangs of gold.

12.   Rune covered staff topped in yeti skull fastened with sinew and golden wire.

13.   Ancient sacrificial dagger fashioned from Sabre-toothed tiger tooth with handle of mammoth ivory.

14.   Amber ring sporting a carved raven head.

15.   A ceremonial cape of eagle feathers topped with a stylized eagle head carved from wood with golden-yellow opal inserts.

16.   A moon-iron battle axe mounted in the femur of a frost giant.

17.   A cedar box holding the gold covered skull of an ancient evil jarl.

18.   A great wooden chest filled with ice which preserves the still living head of a frost giant.

19.   A great chain of alternating rings of silver and gold sporting a dozen shrunken heads of hyperborean warriors.

20.   A great clear crystal urn holding the pickled head of an unknown jarl.

21.   A long cedar coffer dressed in brasstacks and a central ivory boss atop, holding the preserved heads of a long dead southern prince and his three young sons.

22.   Skull of an evil wizard engraved with a whirling motif of wind and ravens.

23.   A great silver spike bearing three skewered skulls with ruby eyes.

24.   A golden shield boss embossed with an eagle.

25.   A Moon-iron boline with a unicorn horn handle.

26.   A Sabre-toothed tiger skull cast from silver holding a stylized head of a troll (carved from amber) within it’s mouth.

27.   Mummified hand of a dead hero holding a silver dagger wrapped tight with golden wire.

28.   A silver chain sporting a score of leathered ears of fallen warriors.

29.   A corselet of walrus ivory.

30.   A full hauberk of moon-iron decorated here and there with fine silver feathers.

31.   A byrnie of silver plumata with a light iron mail backing.

32.   An ancient Scutum decorated in silver with an ivory eagle boss.

33.   An ancient helmet decorated with silver inlay and an intact crest of pegasi mane.

34.   Ancient iron falx inlaid with battle chants with handle of mammoth ivory.

35.   Archaic Xiphos of Blackened Hepatizon with re-worked handle of walrus ivory.

36.   A Golden Lion-head buckler pierced by the tooth of a gigantic Ice Bear.

37.   Fossilized Skull of Saurian King covered in runes and dressed with emerald chips.

38.   Opalized remains of a fairy.

39.   A petrified Fairy dangling as a pendant on an iron chain.

40.   Calcified remains of a fairy pierced with an iron arrow. (The fairy is fake)

41.   A Throne of Petrified Wood astride a pile of fastened opalized goblin skulls.

42.   A toothpick carved from an imp femur set with a tiny ruby on the blunt end.

43.   A bronze great-axe set in a haft of yeti bones lashed together with strips of black dragon skin and resin.

44.   Silver ring set with Red Jasper Flaming Skull.

45.   A ring of Red Jasper carved in the likeness of a fire giant jarl.

46.   Ring of coiled serpents carved from Obsidian.

47.   Jade ring sporting a screaming skull.

48.   Silver ring sporting the head of an enraged saber-tooth with chip sof ruby set in it’s eyes.

49.   Braided ring carved from a stone of Tiger’s Eye

50.   A scotched iron giant’s crown bearing the rune carved skulls of three dead kings.

other Hyperborean loot:
 http://aeonsnaugauries.blogspot.com/2014/03/hyperborean-goods-loot-and-treasure.html
 http://aeonsnaugauries.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-hyperborean-gear-and-loot.html

Carcosa FCT

A thread on the Orginal D&D forum on 2d6 Combat and Carcosa makes reference to the Chainmail Fantasy Combat Table. Here's my take on a Carcosan Fantasy Combat Table.

Carcosan- FCT

Attacker	Defender
	B’Y.	CFC	S-N Shog.	S-YS	H/B	Mi-Go	LM Dino	Rbt	SH S	DO M	PO GR SA	MB UW	L O O	G O O
B’Yakhee	9	12	9	10	5	6	12	6	8	5	10	9	12	x
Chuthuga’s Flame Creature	7	11	7	9	4	4	10	7	7	7	8	10	12	12
Spawn of Shub-N/Shoggoths	11	12	7	8	4	4	12	7	7	3	10	10	12	12
Spawn of Y-S	7	10	7	9	6	5	9	6	9	4	10	10	12	12
Hero/Banisher	10	10	12	11	7	8	12	9	10	6	11	11	12	x
Mi-Go	10	12	12	10	7	8	12	8	10	6	10	12	12	x
Lake Monsters/ Dinosaurs	8	10	6	9	5	4	8	5	8	2	10	7	11	x
Robot	9	11	10	9	8	8	12	7	11	10	11	12	x	x
SuperHero/Sorcerer	8	8	11	9	5	6	10	5	8	4	9	8	10	12
Deep Ones/ Mummies	11	12	12	11	9	8	12	9	12	8	10	7	x	x
Primoridal Ones/Great Race/Space Aliens	9	6	10	11	8	7	9	8	10	6	10	5	11	12
Mummy Brains/ Unquiet Worms	10	7	12	12	8	9	12	9	10	11	12	7	10	12
Lesser Old One	5	5	3	5	4	4	4	4	6	4	6	7	7	11
Greater Old One	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	4	3	3	5	4	8

The table looks ugly on some browsers but is good as a pdf using the print/pdf widget button.