<![CDATA[Pen & Paper Games

<![CDATA[Pen & Paper Games - News]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/ Bringing you the latest gaming news... en Fri, 24 May 2013 11:51:43 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/pnpg_style/misc/rss.png <![CDATA[Pen & Paper Games - News]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/ Kobold Quarterly Book Review: A Discourse in Steel: A Tale of Egil and Nix http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27269-Book-Review-A-Discourse-in-Steel-A-Tale-of-Egil-and-Nix?goto=newpost Fri, 24 May 2013 07:11:34 GMT Originally posted on 05-24-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-24-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

A Discourse in Steel: A Tale of Egil and Nix
Paul S. Kemp
352 pages, Angry Robot
Paperback, $7.19
ISBN 978-0857662538
A Discourse in Steel: A Tale of Egil and Nix is the second tale of these intriguing “heroes.” The first book, The Hammer and the Blade, introduced our world to Egil and Nix, and A Discourse in Steel makes their tale more epic. This time around, our erstwhile heroes having retired yet again, are wrapped up in a complex plot involving the most powerful thieves’ guild in town, two dear friends, and an ancient civilization. To solve their problems, they decide that kidnapping the leader of the thieves’ guild is a good idea, and high adventure ensues!
Paul S. Kemp is no rookie when it comes to writing, and the tales of Egil and Nix show just how accomplished he really is. This book has all the elements that fans of sword and sorcery should enjoy. Egil and Nix are a buddy team for the ages. The banter between Egil and Nix ebbs and flows like the tide; they have that wonderful bond that in many cases only siblings can know. It is this bond that really sets this pair apart. Few original ideas are out there, so rather than going out of his way to try to invent something new, Kemp takes one of the old standbys and does it really well.
Beyond the buddy story, A Discourse in Steel is chock full of the type of action that makes a reader curl his or her toes. Some sequences had me tense up, and I saw just the right amount of build up so the scenes never disappointed. In fact, this book doesn’t waste time on build up—Kemp jumps in feet first and keeps going until the end. There are some great fight scenes that were written so well I could “see” them. At times, reading this book felt like watching an action movie. Kemp’s descriptions of these action scenes and how the characters involved are reacting to them takes sections of this book to a new level of excellence.
A Discourse in Steel shows the sophomore blues that many second stories suffer from with two words: “fak” and “shite.” Kemp watered down his normally witty and clever writing style with these two lazy faux cuss words. Fak, or a variation thereof, appeared over 204 times while the reader is covered with “shite” around 93 times. In a book that weighs in at 352 pages, this is pitiful, especially for an author such as Kemp. I have no problem with cussing. When done right, it can be elevated to an art form, but the combination of faux cuss words and gross overuse became a distraction. By the end of this book, I cringed every time I saw one of these words. Egil and Nix are not nobility, and I understand that they would use colorful language, but this overuse got to the point where it seemed like Kemp would throw in a fak or shite rather than take a few minutes to employ his considerable wordsmithing skills to come up with a clever insult or turn of phrase.
Even with a huge steaming pile of fak and shite to wade through, this book still ends up coming out smelling like roses. The characters are deep and fun to get to know, the story is interesting, and the action is top shelf. I eagerly await the next novel in the Tales of Egil and Nix, and I hope that Kemp will man up and be as clever in his use of language as he is in writing characters and action sequences.

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]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27269-Book-Review-A-Discourse-in-Steel-A-Tale-of-Egil-and-Nix <![CDATA[D&D Arena of War]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27268-Arena-of-War?goto=newpost Fri, 24 May 2013 00:30:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Arena of War...

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Arena of War

Announced today: Arena of War, an upcoming free-to-play D&D mobile game developed and published by DeNA. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27268-Arena-of-War <![CDATA[D&D Capcom Class Rollout: Dwarf]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27267-Capcom-Class-Rollout-Dwarf?goto=newpost Fri, 24 May 2013 00:30:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Capcom Class...

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Capcom Class Rollout: Dwarf

Dwarves! These old powerhouses are as reliable as they are compact, with high hit points, constitution, and strength. Wielding a hand ax and shield, a Dwarf will dish out the thrashings with high efficiency and minimal nonsense. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27267-Capcom-Class-Rollout-Dwarf Kobold Quarterly Monsters of Sin Now Available http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27266-Monsters-of-Sin-Now-Available?goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 13:24:33 GMT Originally posted on 05-23-2013 08:15 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-23-2013 08:15 AM at koboldquarterly.com

Avarice, gluttony, and wrath. The seven sins dangerous enough to be called deadly are now collected under one set of covers, with all errata and some expanded text to make these Sin Monsters as complete and dangerous as they can be.
The Monsters of Sin Collection includes

21 new monsters thematically tied to one of the seven deadly sins,
7 templates to bring that sin out in monsters and NPCs,
complete notes on using sin in any fantasy world,
7 Embodiments of Sin to challenge the greatest heroes!

The Monsters of Sin Collection is suitable for multiple levels of play and can be used in any existing setting and campaign, or it can be combined to create a campaign of Sin. Go beyond ordinary monsters, and challenge your champions with threats to mind, body, and spirit!
Available now from Kobold Press!

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]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27266-Monsters-of-Sin-Now-Available Kobold Quarterly Gnasty Gnolls: Cultists and Guardians in AGE http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27265-Gnasty-Gnolls-Cultists-and-Guardians-in-AGE?goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 07:14:01 GMT Originally posted on 05-23-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-23-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

Gnolls have slaughtered their way to gaming infamy, and they are a favorite of gamemasters (GMs) and players alike. This article can be used by GMs to round out this age-old monster, or players can use it to create new characters. The following gnoll variant is formatted for AGE—though you can convert the material to your preferred system easily enough—and is specific to the Midgard campaign world.
Gnoll Cultist

Gnoll cultists have little patience for rituals, viewing torture and slaughter as ritual enough. Often, their devotion belongs to their assumed creator, the demon Mordiggian (also known as Vardesain), patron god of the ghouls. Other cultists revere Anu-Akma, Aten, Bastet, Horus, Ninkash, and Thoth-Hermes, and they seek out converts, prey, and slaves. Cultists wear symbols of piety, such as the eye of Mordiggian, the sistrum of Bastet, or the wedjat eye of Horus, and they use appropriate weapons, such as the flail for followers of Mordiggian and daggers for others, with many of the cult’s warriors having affinities for axes.
Playing a Gnoll Cultist

If you choose to play a gnoll Cultist, modify your character as follows:

Add 1 to your Cunning. Cultists are intelligent and knowledgeable by gnoll standards.
Choose your deity.
Pick one of the following focuses: Cunning (Arcane Lore) or Cunning (Healing).
You can speak Infernal.
Choose a class. You can play either a mage or warrior.

Roll twice on the accompanying table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the dice together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.
GNOLL CULTIST

2d6 Roll	Benefit for Mage	Benefit for Warrior
2	+1 Magic	+1 Strength
3–4	Focus: Magic (Creation)	Focus: Strength (Axes)
5	Focus: Magic (Entropy)	Focus: Strength (Intimidation)
6	Focus: Magic (Primal)	Focus: Strength (Might)
7–8	+1 Cunning	+1 Dexterity
9	Focus: Willpower (Faith)	Focus: Dexterity (Stealth)
10–11	Focus: Willpower (Self-Discipline)	Focus: Dexterity (Initiative)
12	Weapon Group: Light Blades	Weapon Group: Axes

Gnoll Guardian

Interbreeding with hyenas, gnoll guardians have a frightening cackle and are stronger than most gnolls. Concentrated at the Step Pyramids of Faizal, guardians also engage in adventure and expeditions. Such adventures are usually goal-driven, such as for banishment of a particular enemy or retrieval of a coveted artifact. In the service of the priests of Anu-Akma, these gnolls ferociously protect them and the holy sites, and, when off-duty, like to drink. Due to this pastime, guardians are often found in the company of dwarves, with many developing shared deep loyalties with the little ones. Guardians have an affinity for grenades (acid flasks) and two-handed swords.
Playing a Gnoll Guardian

If you choose to play a gnoll guardian, modify your character as follows:

Add 1 to your Strength. Guardians are brutes, even by gnoll standards.
Pick one of the following focuses: Constitution (Drinking) or Strength (Intimidation).
You can speak Dwarvish.
Choose a class. You can play either a warrior or a rogue.

Roll twice on the accompanying table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the dice together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.
GNOLL GUARDIAN

2d6 Roll	Benefit
2	+1 Dexterity
3–4	Focus: Strength (Jumping)
5	Focus: Strength (Might)
6	Focus: Dexterity (Grenades)
7–8	+1 Willpower
9	Focus: Willpower (Morale)
10–11	Focus: Strength (Heavy Blades)
12	Focus: Dexterity (Traps)

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]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27265-Gnasty-Gnolls-Cultists-and-Guardians-in-AGE <![CDATA[D&D The Haunted Armor of Lornalar]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27263-The-Haunted-Armor-of-Lornalar?goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:59 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* The Haunted...

Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:

The Haunted Armor of Lornalar

A mysterious suit of armor saves those in immediate danger by vanishing them from the threat and taking them elsewhere. What lore exists for the Haunted Armor of Lornalar? Ed reveals some of it. The rest is up to you.. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27263-The-Haunted-Armor-of-Lornalar Kobold Quarterly Old Hat Monsters: Tribal Shaman http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27261-Old-Hat-Monsters-Tribal-Shaman?goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 07:10:14 GMT Originally posted on 05-22-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-22-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

“Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
In many tribal societies, the chieftain leads the social hierarchy (along with sometimes a council of elders), the hero leads war parties, and the shaman serves as spiritual leader. The tribal shaman is sometimes the only member of a tribe with magic, and he or she often serves a conduit to the spirit world.
Given the debate that preceded this week’s article (and its rebuttal), I reiterate once more that gaming is at its best when we mix familiar elements with new—use nostalgia with a twist. My gaming table is happiest when they expect the same old encounter and instead face something similar but different. Make your players respect the old hat monsters again, and I assure you your gaming table will be better for it. Join me after the jump for my last tribal template the tribal shaman (CR +3).
Serving as a conduit to the arcane and divine requires an understanding of the world, a sharp wit, and the ability to lead others, so add +4 to Wisdom, +4 to Intelligence, and +2 to Charisma. The power to channel and commune with spirits from the other side takes a toll on health, so the shaman receives –2 to Constitution. Despite the cost in terms of health, tribal shamans are still a bit hardier than the average member of the tribe, so +2 BAB and +2 to natural AC.
What little arcane knowledge the tribe has is passed down from shaman to shaman. Furthermore, while the shaman is an arcane caster, matters of the divine are also under his or her auspice, so add +6 to Spellcraft and Healing, andadd +4 to all Knowledge skills.
Tribal shamans gain the following feats: Leadership*, Skill Focus (perception),and 1 exotic weapon proficiency. In this case, the shaman need not be 7th level for the feat, and in place of a cohort, the shaman gains an animal companion as an equal level druid. The followers, animal companion, and any tribal chieftains or heroes in the tribe are the only ones that can benefit from the shaman’s share spirits ability.
Spell-Like Abilities: The monster shaman gains all the following spell-like abilities as a cleric with a caster level equal to the shaman’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
At will—bane, guidance, haunted fey aspect, jolt, mending, message, spark
3/day—burning hands, cure light wounds, darkness, jump, ray of sickening, scorching ray, snap dragon fireworks
1/day—hold person, lightning, speak with dead, stinking cloud, summon monster 2
Defensive Abilities
Shield of Flesh (Ex)Any creatures of the shaman’s base type and any of the shaman’s summoned creatures within 10 ft. can sacrifice a move action to take damage that would have hit the shaman from any source requiring an attack roll.
Dread Sanctuary (Su)Any creature attempting to engage in melee with the shaman must make a Will save equal to 10 + 1/2 the Hit Dice of the shaman or become shaken. Subsequent failures indicate frightened and finally panicked conditions.
Special Abilities
Channel Spirits (Su) For every 3 Hit Dice possessed by the shaman, the shaman gains a familiar spirit that can be channeled by the shaman in a manner similar to demon possession. When the shaman utilizes the familiar spirit, it gains the ability of that spirit. This can be done for 1 minute per Hit Dice + Wisdom modifier.
Ancestor Spirit—Double the positive statistic modifier of subject race and gain +2 BAB, +2 to saves, and the ability to channel energy as a cleric equal to the shaman’s Hit Dice.
Animal Spirit—The shaman may take the form of the animal he or she has chosen, and the shaman may utilize aspects of the animal even in human form. The shaman may, for example, fly like a bird or borrow the strength of a bear. The shaman may also communicate with animals of that type.
Elemental Spirit—The shaman gains an elemental domain as though the shaman were a cleric equal in level to his or her Hit Dice.
Guardian Spirit—The tribal shaman gains great protective powers and grants all tribal allies a +2 to AC and saves as well as the ability to cast dispel magic as a cleric equal to his or her Hit Dice.
Share Spirits (Su) Any direct follower of the shaman’s, any tribal template character, or an animal companion of the shaman may receive a blessing that causes it to be possessed by the shaman’s familiar spirit as though that character were a shaman that is two levels lower than the shaman. When the shaman gives this sacred gift, the magic comes with a trigger, and that familiar spirit may not be accessed by the shaman again that day.
Next week I’ll stat up a tribe using the template and, depending on the CR, choose a few other templates. You can vote for you choices here!

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27261-Old-Hat-Monsters-Tribal-Shaman <![CDATA[D&D Concepts in Art]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27260-Concepts-in-Art?goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Concepts in...

Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:

Concepts in Art

What is the difference between concept art and illustration? Jon goes over that this week, plus introduces the interns to you. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27260-Concepts-in-Art Kobold Quarterly 1,000-Word Rebuttal: Against the Fetish of Progressive Design http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27258-1-000-Word-Rebuttal-Against-the-Fetish-of-Progressive-Design?goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 07:01:57 GMT Originally posted on 05-21-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-21-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

This blog hosted “Penny Dreadfuls: Against the Nostalia Fetish in Fantasy Roleplaying”yesterday, a pleasant-but-perhaps-confused rant against nostalgia in roleplaying game design, and in favor of progress and modernity. Maybe I’m just old enough to see the upside of the conservative worldview, but let me be the first to say “bah, nonsense!” and offer this brief rebuttal in the voice of reason. i fully realize that in doing so, I can expect to insult every active gamer in a slightly different fashion than Mssr. Hebert did.
Yes, roleplaying games in general and Dungeons & Dragons and the Pathfinder RPG in particular do revel in the antique, the ancient, the dusty tomes—as part of the genre, and as a focus for world building. But this is hardly a fetish for nostalgia or a clinging to the outworn and lackluster rules of yesterday. It’s just part of the character of its novels and settings. Fantasy RPG fans also like Renaissance fairs, medieval weapons, and tales that lean toward sagas and hero-quests. Comes with the territory.
Steady Improvement
But RPG fans preferring antique game design? Not at all, and to the contrary. Most gamers are happy to recognize and embrace a core of functional, pleasurable, and workable rules, rather than chasing after every gaming fad and novelty.
Yes, sometimes these are the core rules you learned as a teenager. Some people are still playing OD&D, or AD&D, or Basic. But it’s a small-but-vocal minority of people who master the rules once, and then refuse to tinker, update, or adapt them.
More often than not, though, D&D fans are fairly quick to abandon the old in favor of the new and improved. Every edition of D&D depends on this–and I will bet if there is ever a 2nd Edition of Pathfinder, fans will first scream “heresy!” and then rush to see how things might be tweaked and improved. Certainly, the hobby will never advance quickly enough for some who shout “Faster! Modern! Discard your d20 class-and-level chains!”, but those gamers are perfect-rules-questers. They are always moving from one system to another, and the search for novelty is never satisfied, because by definition, once you have found it, it is no longer new to you.
Now, it’s true that some D&D players and Pathfinder fans are, in fact, delighted with the Old School, and the Old School Renaissance is even more hidebound in its delight in the old stuff. People enjoy games they understand, and once you have mastered a system, it takes a little work to change your rules and your play style. Not much work, though, and many gamers like nothing better than ripping into a new book of crunchy rules or a tome that brings new flavor to a setting we love. That is no crime: It’s comfortable and pleasant to revisit worlds and characters that delight us.the exact same human instinct explains the sequels to books, comics, and movies we love. Superman is 75 years old: The premise still works. D&D is almost 40 years old, and it is still fun to roll a 20 and clobber the orc.
In other words, a new or modern design is not always better. There is no guarantee of “progress” just because a copyright date is recent, and publishers release terrible games with distressing regularity. Treating newness with a little skepticism is the healthy sign of someone who has seen gaming fashions come and go: Remember all those crazy dice pools? Diceless RPGs? The peculiar fascination of the Comeliness stat? Many gaming trends have done okay for a while. But many new ideas wither and die, and the wise designer learns from the history of the field, tracing the evolution of styles and mechanics. The D&D style has been an enduring one. Perhaps that means it does some things absolutely right for its audience.
Experimental, Not Reactionary
I’d argue, further, that gamers are hardly nostalgic as a breed. Sure, everyone loves the adventures that introduced them to the hobby. (And why shouldn’t they? The wonder of the first time!) But rather than hewing closely to nostalgia, most fantasy gamers are tinkerers and homebrewers. They’re always dabbling, trying out a new mix in their campaign, adding supplements, dropping subsystems, and houseruling like crazy. The most popular genres and styles are also the most active laboratories of game design, and they are the crucible of what works, rather than what is new.
And this “what works” style is premised on a foundation of older things that, probably, have worked for decades: simple ability scores, a d20 system or a percentile system, a class-and-level framework or certain types of point-buy radicalism. This isn’t fetishizing old rules. It’s proper respect for things that the hobby as a whole points to and says, “Well, it might look a little odd, but it’s really great fun to do it this way.”
The core archetypes of fantasy—the wizards and warriors—are not subject to a lot of change. The rules we play by may slowly drift and ebb and alter, but the wise gamer does not chase every passing fad. The good ideas in game design will stick around for long enough to find their way into houserules and small-press releases, and—if they are truly great—find their way into the next edition. The junky, flashy progress of untested and unplayable systems fades away. This is, after all, why Kobold Press fights so hard to playtest as much as possible: Real play burns away excessive rules, design indulgences, unwise world-building decisions, poor choices in tactical maps. Only a fool discards the weight of accumulated experience.
What you call “fetish” and “nostalgia,” Dear Mr. Hebert, is what I call “time-tested” and “proven to work.” I’ll be happy to play any wild and progressive design you like, and I would be happy to find new ways to play faster, better, livelier games. But I’ll think carefully before I throw away the games that got me here.
Wolfgang Baur feels officially older than the hills after writing this essay. But dagnabbit, a d20 is a good tool for beginners and advanced players alike.

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27258-1-000-Word-Rebuttal-Against-the-Fetish-of-Progressive-Design <![CDATA[D&D I Don’t Know What It Is, but I Like It]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27257-I-Don’t-Know-What-It-Is-but-I-Like-It?goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 04:00:04 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* I Don’t Know...

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I Don’t Know What It Is, but I Like It

James provides us with descriptions for several good-aligned creatures that have animal forms. Come see what menagerie he has assembled for you to view and discuss this week! ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27257-I-Don’t-Know-What-It-Is-but-I-Like-It <![CDATA[D&D Lords of Waterdeep Review]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27255-Lords-of-Waterdeep-Review?goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 19:10:06 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Lords of...

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Lords of Waterdeep Review

On Forbes: Lords of Waterdeep is one of the most unique and surprising D&D boardgames on the market. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27255-Lords-of-Waterdeep-Review Kobold Quarterly Penny Dreadfuls: Against the Nostalgia Fetish in Fantasy Roleplaying http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27252-Penny-Dreadfuls-Against-the-Nostalgia-Fetish-in-Fantasy-Roleplaying?goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 08:00:01 GMT Originally posted on 05-20-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-20-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

Ever since the announcement of “D&D Next”—or, to translate marketing-speak into actual English, Dungeons & Dragons: 5th Edition—more than a year ago, Wizards of the Coast’s efforts to unite the disparate tribes of fantasy roleplaying enthusiasts under one system of roleplaying has been contentious at best. Fans of disparate—and mutually exclusive, in some cases—styles of roleplaying have been contesting and debating the merits of each edition to assess whether elements of that edition should be included in the Frankenstein’s monster that is Next.
The results have been ugly, retrograde, and entirely predictable. Wizards of the Coast’s promises of modularity and freedom of choice have all been silenced by the advent of the unelected “But that’s not D&D!” committee that lurks on every forum. Its members revel in speaking out against progressive design, clutch tightly to every mechanical cow in the event that someone, somewhere might believe it sacred despite its age or dissociation from the remainder of its herd, and rejoice in purging the unclean from the hobby because of their conviction that there is only one ideologically acceptable way to pretend to be an elf.
Theirs.
People who’ve talked with me know I have never been on board with D&D Next—its design philosophy’s attempt to unite the tribes struck me as remarkably tone deaf, naïve, and harmful to the state of play we have been gifted with since the hobby’s inception in E. Gary Gygax’s basement four decades ago. While some view crowdsourcing as a viable way forward, I predicted that Wizards of the Coast’s tactics to engage fans in the design of the next edition of the game would reignite the most-recent edition warfare that’s infected gaming discussions since the launch of D&D 4E and the release of Pathfinder RPG. Rather than encouraging gamers to have an honest discussion about the role nostalgia should play on mechanical design, the openness of the process has caused numerous players—most frequently those who prefer older editions of the game—to come forward and out themselves as members of the “That’s Not D&D” committee.
I suspect part of the reason I find the views of the “That’s Not D&D” committee so bizarre and unhelpful for the hobby is that I don’t particularly value nostalgia. As I get older, I’ve come to accept that the ways I played roleplaying games in the past—particularly my start in the hobby with AD&D—had little to do with mechanics and more to do with where I was at in my life. I’m from rural Louisiana, and when my friends and I discovered a game where we could pretend to be heroes, we used the rules to make stuff up that we thought would be fun. Our creativity and happiness to play together was part and parcel of being young kids happy to hang out with each other, and we didn’t really let the mechanics of the game get in our way.
I know game designers can’t recapture the esprit de corps of my early forays into gaming, no matter how hard they try; the mechanical design of the games I loved had very little to do with the fun those games facilitated. We didn’t think deeply about concepts like simulation, if it was necessary for D&D to have draconic kobolds or doglike kobolds, or whether warlords could “shout wounds closed.” Our games were laissez faire and au courant. Now that I’m older and have done a bit of game design, the idea that any game designer would try to recreate the games of my youth strikes me as quixotic and impossible—nostalgia is not empirical, and it cannot be mechanically modeled.
May Garl Glittergold go with those who try.
But to the members of the “That’s Not D&D!” committee plaguing RPG forums, the type of fun roleplaying games facilitated should be subordinated to nostalgic purity (in general) and their particular nostalgia (in specific). Did you like 4E? Tough luck. Were warlords the class you were looking for way back when you were playing 2E and wanted to create a fantastic version of Alexander the Great or Zhuge Liang? Sorry, that’s not D&D because the game is and must be Eurocentric. Are you interested in non-Vancian magic options? Too bad. That’s not D&D even if 2E psionics provided just such a system (and even if it were awesome!). Did you play 13th Age and decide that (what they call) narrative mechanics might be interesting in your fantasy game? Leper. Outcast. Unclean. Forge-ite. Swine.
The problem with the “That’s Not D&D!” committee is not the fact that they are attempting to use the Internet to silence and shame those who want D&D to continue moving forward. The issue is these men and women do not understand the extent to which they are fetishizing the past—and in so doing, contributing to the culture that’s making it harder and harder to introduce new players to the hobby. Nostalgia and fantasy roleplaying’s history have their place in this hobby—but to the loudest subset of message board denizens, that place is decidedly not as a reference to where the hobby’s been. History and nostalgia have become Gygax ex cathedra, rigidly constraining our understanding of the hobby’s past and constricting the mechanical designs that will define our hobby’s future.
But what do I know? Nostalgia über alles. After all, that’s not D&D (and it shouldn’t be to you or anybody else)!

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]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27252-Penny-Dreadfuls-Against-the-Nostalgia-Fetish-in-Fantasy-Roleplaying GURPS May 20, 2013: More Goodies For Your Garage! http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27251-May-20-2013-More-Goodies-For-Your-Garage!?goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 05:10:49 GMT *Check out this new article from the Daily Illuminator that Steve Jackson Games posted:* May 20, 2013: More Goodies For Your Garage!... Check out this new article from the Daily Illuminator that Steve Jackson Games posted:

May 20, 2013: More Goodies For Your Garage!

You wanted vehicles upgraded with a perpetual motion machines, orgone engines, and broadcast power – we listened! Newly released to e23, GURPS Classic: Vehicles Expansion 2 includes even more options for your GURPS Vehicles constructs. It includes new possibilities for propulsion, exotic components, performance options, and more. Compiled by virtuoso virtual mechanic David L. Pulver, GURPS Classic: Vehicles Expansion 2 takes your transports to bold, new realms.

– Steven Marsh

Warehouse 23 News: You Say You Want A Revolution?

You and your townspeople have decided that it's time for a Revolution! and several people think they should be the one in power. Do you have what it takes to lead a successful revolt?

Secretly bid against your opponents to win the support of the people, control territory .*.*. and gather more gold, blackmail, and force for the next round of bidding. The revolutionary with the most support wins the game!

Available now from Warehouse 23. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27251-May-20-2013-More-Goodies-For-Your-Garage! <![CDATA[D&D This Week (May 20) in D&D]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27250-This-Week-(May-20)-in-D-amp-D?goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 04:02:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* This Week...

Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:

This Week (May 20) in D&D

This week, Mike goes over exploration and interaction so that you can see where they are right now. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27250-This-Week-(May-20)-in-D-amp-D <![CDATA[D&D Dragon #423]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27247-Dragon-423?goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 18:20:15 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Dragon #423...

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Dragon #423

Dungeons have a primal allure to the inveterate adventurer in all of us. This month, discover the masters of the alluring dungeons, rare Underdark poisons, and the ecology of the gargoyle. Plus, the Inn of the Welcome Wench. We proudly present for your gaming pleasure, Dragon 423! ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27247-Dragon-423 Kobold Quarterly Midgard Icons: The Dragon Sultana http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27243-Midgard-Icons-The-Dragon-Sultana?goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 13:10:51 GMT Originally posted on 05-17-2013 08:00 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* *Image:... Originally posted on 05-17-2013 08:00 AM at koboldquarterly.com

Midgard Icons presents some of the Midgard Campaign Setting’s major NPCs as icons for use in 13th Age, the new fantasy roleplaying game from Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet. Bring them into your 13th Age campaign; run 13th Age in the world of Midgard; or port the icon relationship rules into your system of choice.
In our sixth installment, we journey to the greatest empire in Midgard, where we walk past unimaginable opulence — and heavily armed dragonkin — toward an audience with…
The Dragon Sultana
The Dragon Sultana’s rule is new and fragile, but she has the confidence and the ruthlessness needed to command the mighty draconic Mharoti Empire.
Quote
“I rule in the name of the Scaled Lords, in the name of Mharot and Veles. To stand in my presence is to stand with the coils of the World Serpent about you.”
Usual Location
In the Golden City of Harkesh, at the Imperial Palace of the Eight Elements.
Common Knowledge
The vastly powerful Mharoti Empire was founded by dragons and is run by dragons for their enrichment. It is one of the few places where humans and their kin are distinctly second-class citizens, though there is one notable exception: The dragons choose not to appoint one of their own to rule the empire. Their vanity was such that they could never agree on a dragon ruler, so they gave the job to a clearly inferior species instead. The Empire is ruled by a human sultan or sultana, who loosely holds the reins of power.
The charismatic, 26-year-old Dragon Sultana Casmara Azrabahir stands a mere 5 feet tall but radiates the aura of command that one would expect from the ruler of the world’s mightiest empire, whose position is backed by dragons. She is a skilled sorcerer whose color-streaked black hair confirms her Chromatic Destroyer Heritage — and she has been known to exhibit the creature’s foul temperament, as well. The Dragon Sultana can also fascinate dragons and dragon-kin with her voice.
Adventurers and the Icon
Most adventures that involve the Dragon Sultana also involve the affairs of dragonkind, from kobolds to dragonkin to drakes. Those that involve the Great Dragon Lords themselves are the most dangerous and most lucrative. Adventurers may be recruited by the Dragon Sultana or her organization to help resolve issues of nesting rituals, peculiar forms of status or insult, or assassination of seemingly inconsequential personages — or they may become embroiled at the highest levels in court intrigue or even a naked power grab.
Allies
The Glittering King pays loyal tribute to the Dragon Sultana, and she has given private audiences to Baba Yaga of late — though none know what they might be planning.
Enemies
The Dragon Sultana’s plans for imperial expansion include control of the seas, and First Duke-Admiral Cadua of Triolo is determined to see that she doesn’t get it.
History
Two years ago the young Sultana Casmara Azrabahir murdered her weak, dragon-bloodless uncle Sultan Abdrazin Azrabahir and assumed control of the Empire. The sultan’s elite palace guards—the Order of the Wyvern—fell quickly in line, not questioning her usurpation, but some dragons, drakes, and emirs are still squabbling about whether to stand for or against the new order. The sultana has powerful allies within their ranks, and so has turned her attention away from possible coups and toward expansion.
If the Dragon Sultana didn’t exist, the Mharoti Empire would not be an empire—it would more closely resemble eight draconic kingdoms at war. The young Sultana Casmara has a great deal of power, but only because the governors don’t trust any of their own number with that much authority. And yet, she plans effectively and commands the imperial legions and the morza (a draconic term that translates roughly as “prince” or “dragon governor” or “great lord”). The threat of swift, silent death at the hands of the Dragon Sultana’s harem assassins is usually enough to keep dragonkin and human satraps in line.
The Dragon Sultana has had little time to enjoy the privileges that come with her role, but rumors swirl that the Royal Harem might soon see a swath of handsome male consorts.
The True Danger
Everything will be all right as long as the Dragon Sultana cannot achieve her goal of conquering Nuria Natal and plundering its ancient secrets.
Further reading:

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]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27243-Midgard-Icons-The-Dragon-Sultana <![CDATA[D&D Art: Dragon 423]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27239-Art-Dragon-423?goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 04:00:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Art: Dragon...

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Art: Dragon 423

Dungeons have a primal allure to the inveterate adventurer in all of us. This month, discover the masters of the alluring dungeons, rare Underdark poisons, and the ecology of the gargoyle. Plus, the Inn of the Welcome Wench! Here now are a full set of the illustrations from Dragon 423. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27239-Art-Dragon-423 Kobold Quarterly Gnasty Gnolls: The Avenger in AGE http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27232-Gnasty-Gnolls-The-Avenger-in-AGE?goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 07:10:04 GMT Originally posted on 05-16-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-16-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

As you might expect from the title of this article, Pete continues his look at the gnoll. If you missed the first part, take a quick peek here first, and then come back to explore all that is the Midgard AGE gnoll avenger!Gnolls have slaughtered their way to gaming infamy, and they are a favorite of gamemasters (GMs) and players alike. This article can be used by GMs to round out this age-old monster, or players can use it to create new characters. The following gnoll variant is formatted for AGE—though you can convert the material to your preferred system easily enough—and is specific to the Midgard campaign world.
Gnoll Avenger

Sallying forth from the edge of sandstorms, gnoll avengers ride chariots into battle. Though encountered across Midgard, avengers tend to be concentrated in the Southlands, especially in the river city of Nuria and particularly at the Palm Palace, as well as the outlying cities of Corremel and Per-Kush. Avengers are used en masse to conquer others or defend the kingdom, or they work in smaller formations to hunt, track, race, and make war. The bloodline of these gnolls originates with a common ancestor—a large gnoll named Arrna—and each avenger has remained loyal to the king and queen of the river kingdom since then. Riding ornate ceremonial chariots, statues of avengers are found within royal tombs, even protecting their charge in the afterlife. Like other gnolls, avengers capture slaves, especially those with the skills to perpetuate or amend the technology of their vehicles, and they engage in cannibalism, eating fallen brethren to absorb their twisted souls. Avenger leaders employ falcons for scouting, while the rank and file have an affinity for barbed nets (see below), spears, and short bows.
Playing a Gnoll Avenger

If you choose to play a gnoll avenger, modify your character as follows:

Add 1 to your Dexterity. Avengers must be agile to fight from chariots.
Pick one of the following focuses: Constitution (Driving) or Strength (Spears).
You can speak Nurian.
Take the warrior class.

Roll twice on the accompanying table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the dice together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.

2d6 Roll	Benefit
2*	+1 Constitution
3–4*	Weapon Group: Bows
5	Focus: Willpower (Courage)
6	Focus: Dexterity (Crafting)
7–8	+1 Strength
9	Focus: Dexterity (Bows)
10–11	Focus: Cunning (Engineering)
12	+1 Cunning

Avenger Chariots

Chariots are two-wheeled vehicles fashioned from skin stretched over steam-bent wooden frames. Slaves or free artisans with a Journeyman level of the Invention talent, or with the Cunning (Engineering) and/or Dexterity (Crafting) focuses can design and/or build chariots. A simple gnoll chariot costs upwards of 100 sp. Under a GM’s supervision, more complex chariots can be acquired or constructed, such as those with armor, intelligence, or magical resistance, or with additional offensive capabilities such as the ability to spread disease.
Chariots are drawn by 1–4 hyenas (that lose their bite attack due to a bridle, though maintain the stunt Knock Prone) and have a driver and an armed rider. When chariots are used in numbers, they fight in closed ranks to overwhelm enemies. On open terrain, chariots provide great speed and maneuverability, offering stable platforms from which to launch arrow, javelin, and spear attacks (weapons fired/thrown from a moving chariot add +1 to damage). Chariots have a speed of 15 at full speed and an armor rating of 4. Driving is a minor action, and any charioteer makes a Constitution test every round. If this fails, a Dexterity test is made. If this fails, the charioteer falls from the chariot and makes another Dexterity test for damage. The GM can determine target numbers based on terrain and speed.
New Gnoll Weapon: Barbed Net

This rope net is covered in spider-venom-coated hooks and costs 20 sp. Considered a missile weapon with a short/long range of 2 yards and no reload, the user makes a ranged attack to successfully throw the net. With a hit, the hooks cause 1d6 damage and the spider venom inflicts –2 to Dexterity. If able, the user performs a Knock Prone (SP2) stunt, entangling the target.

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27232-Gnasty-Gnolls-The-Avenger-in-AGE <![CDATA[D&D The Lost Crown of Athalantar]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27229-The-Lost-Crown-of-Athalantar?goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* The Lost...

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The Lost Crown of Athalantar

The lore of a crown, as well as the actual crown, can provide you with all manner of options in your game. Come see what Ed has to say about the Lost Crown of Athalantar and how you can use such an item in your game. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27229-The-Lost-Crown-of-Athalantar <![CDATA[D&D Mark "wrecan" Monack]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27225-Mark-quot-wrecan-quot-Monack?goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 22:00:01 GMT

Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:

Mark "wrecan" Monack

On behalf of the D&D team, we are sorry to hear about the passing of one of our community members: Mark "wrecan" Monack. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27225-Mark-quot-wrecan-quot-Monack Kobold Quarterly Old Hat Monsters: Tribal Hero Template http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27216-Old-Hat-Monsters-Tribal-Hero-Template?goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 07:13:26 GMT Originally posted on 05-15-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on 05-15-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

“My lands are where my dead lie buried.”—Crazy Horse
Tribal cultures sometimes have a different leader in war then when in peace. The tribal chieftain template I discussed last week was for a chieftain who mostly leads primarily by speaking. The tribal hero, or war chief if you prefer, leads by action.
You can represent this by simply applying the advanced template if you want fast, easy, and boring. If, instead, you’d like to challenge your players with a template designed for guerilla warfare tactics, join me after the jump for the tribal hero (CR +2).
We’ll start with statistics. A tribal hero needs to react quickly to danger, stealthily lead an ambush or night raid, and gracefully avoid damage, so let’s go with Dexterity +4. Planning is crucial—often tribal cultures are invaded by people with better technology, magic, or both, thus the hero needs to understand these advantages and counter with the strengths of the tribe. So, Intelligence +4. That said, sometimes being a hero is simply about being more powerful then your peers: +2 Hit Dice and +1 BAB.
The tribal hero is a feared figure and capable of great stealth and feats of athletic prowess. Add +6 to Intimidation, Stealth, and Acrobatics. Catching enemies or challengers is nearly as important as striking when an enemy is disadvantaged, so add +4 to Perception and Sense Motive.
Tribal heroes gain the following feats: Precise Strike, Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, Poison Use,and Outflank.*Tribal heroes thrive on their home turf, so they gain 1 favored terrain and 2 favored enemies against traditional tribal enemies.**
Tribal heroes gain the following special attacks.
Count Coup: When a tribal hero hits a target in his or her favored terrain or hits a favored enemy, he or she can elect to deal no damage and daze the target for 1 round (no save.)
Sacrificial Charge: For an additional –2 to AC, a charging tribal hero can deal double damage on a charge.
Equipment: Treat the tribal hero as a player character of the same level as his or her Hit Dice. If you want to limit the reward the PCs gain, make the majority of the treasures consumable (and consume them).
*Even if the tribal hero would not normally qualify.
**You can stack the bonuses on the same favored enemy if the tribe has only one traditional enemy.
As is my tradition, I’m taking orders for the crunch in the comment section. What monster would you like to see with the tribal hero template? Do you want to see it mixed with other templates such as the mutated, tribal chieftain, or advanced template? If I miss you before the comments get cut off, feel free to PM me on Paizo’s forums. My handle there is GM_Solspiral, and I’ll fulfill anything respectfully requested within a week of the article posting, with comments on the Kobold Press site receiving priority attention. I’m also taking nominations for a tribal encounter complete with all tribal templates at the end, so nominate your favorite monster races and what CR you’re interested in seeing. There will be a survey at the end of next week’s article.

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27216-Old-Hat-Monsters-Tribal-Hero-Template <![CDATA[D&D A Lineage in Art]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27211-A-Lineage-in-Art?goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* A Lineage in...

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A Lineage in Art

The 2nd Edition reprints are about to release, and so what better time to look back through the art of these books? In this D&D Alumni article, we do just that—but instead of taking the broader view of the entire forest, we'll consider two of its trees (or treants) in particular... ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27211-A-Lineage-in-Art <![CDATA[D&D Demonic Cults]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27204-Demonic-Cults?goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 15:50:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Demonic Cults...

Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:

Demonic Cults

James presents three cults and asks you some questions about them. Come read up on Demogorgon, Baphomet, and Graz'zt. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27204-Demonic-Cults Kobold Quarterly Your Whispering Homunculus: 100 Spots for Overnight Roughing It (50 Fair and 50 Foul) http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27203-Your-Whispering-Homunculus-100-Spots-for-Overnight-Roughing-It-(50-Fair-and-50-Foul)?goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 07:12:01 GMT Originally posted on Tuesday 05-14-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on Tuesday 05-14-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus*presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.)“Master! Look what I’ve found in the dungeon.”
“Ah, my old adventurer’s tent. How much I miss the days of my youth when I’d gad about the countryside, chasing this purple temple or that magenta stronghold. How my young limbs used to love a stop in the dangerous wilderness and break my fast with spring water and berries.”
“Whereas now your regal buttocks become inflamed unless they are warm and cozy on your mighty mattress.”
“True, slug-mother, true. Now get my warming pan ready and boil me some frothy milk for my supper or I’ll have you lashed.”
The overnight stop in the wilderness, the night’s rest of some band of orcs being chased across the hills, the odd curiosity by the trailside. Sometimes these places can be nothing more than a brief mention on the journey, but sometimes a group’s stopping point can be a staging point for an encounter, and then, the choice of a place with walls and cover becomes more crucial.
The tables below offer a little more meat to the overnight stop. The first list is the shelter found with a successful Survival check (DC 10), the other is for fails. Characters can push on if they find a camp not to their liking, but these tables provide stops at random when the player characters have almost concluded a day walking. If they push on into the dark, might they get lost, might their torches bring foes, or might the next place be even worse?
Check Succeeds

A tumbled-down chapel, one wall remains standing and a weathered angel stands guard
A collapsed hay barn with enough space inside for camping
An old pigpen
A sheepfold with intact walls
An abandoned cottage
An old carriage turned upside down
A stout barn
A roadside chapel with room inside for plenty to sleep and a big fireplace stocked with wood
A ruined manse with one wing still standing
The shell of a windmill with a makeshift roof of cloth from previous visitors
A ruined keep
*A recently abandoned inn
A stout, dry cave with carvings of a saint
A trio of recently felled trees that form a perfect grove
An old boathouse whose walls, though falling, are stout and weatherproof
An old ruined mill
A mouldering gypsy caravan
A landlocked bridge whose arches offer shelter
A sheep pen
A ruin made of huge stones
An old church surrounded by weathered graves
A small hill commanding fine views and with a dozen rabbit holes
A hilltop with a small hermit’s cave cut in
A hillock with three huge trees
A south-facing grove by a stream that is a favorite for local game
A boarded-shut woodcutter’s hut
An abandoned walled garden
A tumbled-down cottage with a garden brimming with seasonal vegetables
A ruined cottage with a functional well
A lean-to made of stout trees
A ruined church tower with a rusty bell inside
A fine tor of large stones that commands excellent views of the surroundings
An old quarry with caves
A ruined farm with wild mushrooms and berries
A hunter’s wood shelter by a loch brimming with pike
A lochan teeming with eels
A small abandoned dungeon complex
A large abandoned dungeon complex
A huge hay barn
A small bothy
A roadside temple with a wooden shed
A natural rock bowl with a fire pit in its center
A hillside with good cover and plenty of hares
A small cave by a natural pond
A very high wall with a trough
A sheltered cairn
A small lochan with an island in the middle that can easily be waded to
A chapel on a small island in a loch
An abandoned tower
A wattle and daub hut

Check Fails

A small glade that overnight begins to run with spring water
A ruined cottage infested with ants
A gatepost on a hillock
A wet valley
A moldering gypsy caravan that falls to pieces when entered
A damp grove in a damper copse
A frequently used trail with giant footprints
A stone circle on a hill covered in gorse
A cairn on a windy hillock
A very damp shallow cave
*A heathery hillock infested with vermin
A small grassed area filled with thistles at the side of a stream
A completely collapsed old inn on a very windy hillside
An old quarry with half a dozen hornet’s nests
A low bowl of grass by a stream that is infamous for midges
A sheltered hill infamous for midges
A shelter by a small loch infamous for midges
A ruined village infested with brambles
A foul spot for flies
A pleasant ruined farmhouse overrun with mice
A pleasant ruined cottage overrun with rats
A ruined barn that is a favorite hangout for skunks
An old hay barn infested with spiders
A mile post on a moist grassy knoll
A horribly exposed hillside
A toadstool-infested glade
A ruined house with numerous stinkhorns and other foul-smelling fungi in its damp rooms
A spot uncannily visible for many miles
A ruined castle in danger of imminent collapse
A barn in danger of imminent collapse
A foul-smelling hovel
A damp spot infested with big slugs
A cave occupied by something aggressive
A ruin occupied with something aggressive
A ruin containing several poisonous snakes
A terrible spot for poisonous ivy
A very damp spot beneath some trees
A ruin with an untraceable foul-smelling object buried somewhere in it
A tree that makes an unsettling groaning and creaking noise at night
A barn that has been used by some large creature that has recently died
A windy cave
An old graveyard
A barrow on a windy spot
A nettle-infested field
A well with bad water
A weed-choked mill with rotten floors
A pool overrun with noisy frogs
An abandoned plague village
A remote farmstead with the dead owner still in bed upstairs
A cottage with the last occupant hanging from a rafter

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27203-Your-Whispering-Homunculus-100-Spots-for-Overnight-Roughing-It-(50-Fair-and-50-Foul) <![CDATA[D&D D&D Next Q&A]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27202-D-amp-D-Next-Q-amp-A?goto=newpost Mon, 13 May 2013 21:51:00 GMT

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D&D Next Q&A

You've got questions—we've got answers! Here's how it works—each week, our Community Manager scours all available sources to find whatever D&D Next questions you're asking. This week: Subclass Basics, Subclass Customizing & Non-Vancian Subclass Options. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27202-D-amp-D-Next-Q-amp-A Kobold Quarterly Midgard Mayhem at MACE 2012 and MACE West 2013 http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27200-Midgard-Mayhem-at-MACE-2012-and-MACE-West-2013?goto=newpost Mon, 13 May 2013 18:10:15 GMT Originally posted on Monday 05-13-2013 01:04 PM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on Monday 05-13-2013 01:04 PM at koboldquarterly.com

Last fall Christina Stiles approached me about participating in an event she was organizing for MACE 2012 entitled Midgard Mayhem. The event was designed to showcase the just released campaign setting of Midgard by Wolfgang Baur by running adventures set in it. The idea sounded cool and I agreed to run a couple of adventures for the event.
The first scenario I ran was The Forgotten King’s Tomb by Wolfgang Baur adapted to Green Ronin’s excellent AGE system. The premise of the adventure is that the adventurers are members of an elite cadre of kobold irregulars sent to seek a tomb with supposedly enchanted writing that their Akinji (dragonkin lord) Shard had discovered during an expedition into the Sands of Sorrows many years prior.
The mix of kobolds covered the standard archetypes of an adventuring party, but with the added benefit of some infighting politics that centered around who really led the group, despite what the Akinji decreed. The kobold irregulars selected by the players were Char (pyromaniac mage and leader), Night Shade (thrill-seeking sniper), Klikjack (warrior enforcer for Char), Ghost (opportunistic albino rogue), and Dractus (elementalist mage and Char’s rival).
I started the irregulars off already trekking through the Sands of Sorrows looking for their Akinji’s lost tomb. The players received the information from the adventure background and roleplayed their meeting with their dragonkin lord in a flashback before we resumed play in the present. The players really seemed to enjoy the Arabian feel of the Dragon Empire as well as the high magic vibe of the setting with the idea of ley lines, magical travel, and magic used to transform oneself and station.
The players all said that they had a fun time playing as the kobolds and I fielded several questions concerning the Midgard setting and the AGE system. As the session came to a final close the consensus seemed to be that Midgard offered a solid variety in terms of the types of games one could run with the setting and that the AGE system really brought the cinematic aspects to the fore with the stunt mechanics. Overall the first scenario and game set in Midgard was a very positive experience.
The second Midgard scenario I ran at MACE 2012 was Beyond the Ghostlight Reef by Christina Stiles. For this game I adapted the scenario to Savage Worlds to help facilitate the adventure fitting into the four-hour slot I had to run it in. Savage Worlds is a great system for a variety of reasons, but one of my favorite aspects of the system is its combat resolution that facilitates fast play at the table, a real bonus when running games at conventions.
I really liked the premise of the Seven Cities backdrop that the adventure was set in. The Seven Cities are a collection of nation-states made up of a variety of races in a near constant state of warfare and political infighting set against the backdrop of the ruins of a once mighty empire. The area seemed, upon reading, to be very dynamic and a place where enterprising adventurers could forge their own fortunes.
For the adventure, I created an assortment of characters for the players to select from that highlighted the variety of player races that the campaign setting offered and lent themselves to the idea of a freebooting adventuring company seeking their fortunes. The pregens that were selected by the players were an arrogant human blade master, an impulsive kobold alchemist, an honorable Northman warrior, a greedy minotaur ranger, a heroic dwarf cleric, and a curious gearforged wizard.
The adventure opened with the freebooters answering the summons of Balack Giolan, a wealthy noble of Fruila. The adventurers made some common knowledge rolls to get some background about the noble and the general state of affairs in Fruila. This gained them the information about the rivalries of The Bibliotori and their desire to constantly outdo one another with secrets and knowledge. After some aggressive negotiations, led by the greedy minotaur, the group accepted the noble’s commission to secure a set of recently recovered chests in possession of the red hags of the Ghostlight Reef.
As with the previous adventure, my players all said that they had a fun time playing in the world of Midgard. Several of the players enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t just the typical fantasy races that were available to play. In addition, the sheer variety in terms of the types of games one could run with the setting seemed to really stand out to everyone as we talked about Midgard. As before, the adventure and setting proved to be a very positive experience.
My third venture into the world of Midgard was this past April at MACE West 2013. Christina had contacted me about helping with the Midgard Mayhem event and for this convention I decided to come up with my own scenario rather than use either of the ones I had used at MACE 2012. I had really liked the Zobeck entry in the Midgard Campaign Setting so I ordered the Zobeck Gazetteer from DriveThruRPG to gain a deeper understanding of the free city. When I had finished reading through the gazetteer I had decided that the adventurers would all be characters of a decidedly gray morality.
Using Savage Worlds once more, the pregens that were selected by the players for Zobeck City Nights were an honorable darakhul (true ghoul) paladin of Marena (death goddess), an elf-marked swashbuckling magus, a greedy gearforged warrior, a huginn (ravenfolk) assassin, an impulsive kobold pyromancer, and a curious gnoll archer. Each of the characters was of veteran rank with a few magic items for each that put them closer to heroic rank. I had developed a series of questions related to the group’s identity as The Six-Fingered Hand and their individual lives. This allowed for a faster immersion of the players into the free city while organically developing their bonds as members of a very mercenary adventuring company within Zobeck.
The adventure opened with the group finishing a commission for a mysterious patron that involved the capture of a would-be crime lord. The group successfully defeated the crime lord’s retainers and captured the man alive in a pitched battle in the Dock District.
In all, I was very pleased with how Zobeck worked in play and that the evocative nature of the setting allowed for the shades of gray play I was interested to see happen in the city-based game. The players all stated that they had a fun time and most of them really liked the variety and diversity of Zobeck specifically and Midgard as a whole.
I have enjoyed helping Christina with the Midgard Mayhem events at these last two conventions. I think the events help to showcase that the setting handles a wide variety of play styles as well as game systems. Looking at the various locales contained within Midgard, each with their own distinctive flavor and adventure potential helps to make the campaign guide a truly great resource. I look forward to running additional adventures set within the Midgard campaign setting and encourage anyone at a convention that is running a Midgard Mayhem event to find a game and have some fun.
Mark provided us with overviews of how each game went, and they sounded like great times for everyone at the table. If you’re interested in running or in playing this summer, please do take a look at the offerings we have at Gen Con 2013 this year, and watch this site for more information about other conventions! Christina, Wolfgang, Ben, Wade, and several more will be running games and talking about Midgard, and we sometimes need more people to pitch in and run games for us!

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27200-Midgard-Mayhem-at-MACE-2012-and-MACE-West-2013 <![CDATA[D&D Gen Con Registration]]> http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27199-Gen-Con-Registration?goto=newpost Mon, 13 May 2013 17:40:01 GMT Image: http://www.wizards.com/books/images/dnd_logo_small.jpg *Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:* Gen Con...

Check out this new article Wizards of the Coast posted recently:

Gen Con Registration

Event Registration for Gen Con opens May 19th at Noon (Eastern). In advance of registration, we wanted to offer an early look at the D&D events, seminars and gaming taking place at the con! ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27199-Gen-Con-Registration GURPS May 13, 2013: Expand Your Vehicular Possibilities! http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27198-May-13-2013-Expand-Your-Vehicular-Possibilities!?goto=newpost Mon, 13 May 2013 05:00:32 GMT *Check out this new article from the Daily Illuminator that Steve Jackson Games posted:* May 13, 2013: Expand Your Vehicular Possibilities!... Check out this new article from the Daily Illuminator that Steve Jackson Games posted:

May 13, 2013: Expand Your Vehicular Possibilities!

Supercavitating submarines! Magnetic sails! Stargates! Windmills! .*.*. Windmills? Sure, why not! Windmills are cool!

All these and more are additional vehicular options presented in GURPS Classic: Vehicles Expansion 1, newly released to e23. This supplement adds to the possibilities of GURPS Vehicles, the ultimate sourcebook for GURPS Third Edition craft construction. Written by noted mechanical mastermind David L. Pulver, GURPS Classic: Vehicles Expansion 1 augments your garage with even more awesome choices – even windmills!

– Steven Marsh

Warehouse 23 News: Game Over

Control the marker of Cthulhu!

The Cthulhu Sherpa marker case was inspired by Cthulhu Dice.

It's available in limited quantities from Warehouse 23 only. ]]> News PnP News Bot http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27198-May-13-2013-Expand-Your-Vehicular-Possibilities! Crafty Games Crafty Games proud to announce Little Wizards RPG for kids http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27187-Crafty-Games-proud-to-announce-Little-Wizards-RPG-for-kids?goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 06:40:01 GMT Originally posted on Sunday 05-12-2013 01:35 AM by Crafty_Pat from Crafty Games: Crafty Games proud to announce Little Wizards RPG for kids... Originally posted on Sunday 05-12-2013 01:35 AM by Crafty_Pat from Crafty Games:

Crafty Games proud to announce Little Wizards RPG for kids

Crafty Games is proud to announce its latest game...

We all discovered roleplaying in different ways, and we all hope that our kids will love it as much as we do. Little Wizards is a roleplaying game for inventive and inquisitive kids ages 6-10, developed to introduce them to the joy and creativity of stepping into a whole new world. It's quick enough to learn in just a couple minutes, engaging enough for older kids and parents to play with their little ones, and works just like the RPGs we've all been playing since Red Box.
Little Wizards is a Crafty Games production presented as a compact children's reader-style book, including everything you need to play and an introduction to Coinworld, where the Little Wizards live, laugh, and rise up as heroes.
Originally designed for the French market as Contes Ensorcelés by Antoine Bauza (7 Wonders, Ghost Stories) and published by Le Septième Cercle (Qin, Z-Corps), the English-language edition features updated rules and game content developed by Amanda Valentine (Smallville, Leverage).
Little Wizards will be available this fall, both as a 96 page full-color perfect bound print volume through Studio 2 Publishing, and in PDF through DriveThruRPG and Crafty-Games.com. Exclusive previews and play sessions will debut at Gen Con Indy, August 15-18, 2013.
More news and previews for Little Wizards will become available later this summer through LittleWizardsRPG.com, as well as Crafty Games' news feed and Facebook page.
Teach your kids the magic of roleplaying with Little Wizards!

read more ]]> News pkapera http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27187-Crafty-Games-proud-to-announce-Little-Wizards-RPG-for-kids Kobold Quarterly Kobold Artistry II: Magical Wonders http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php/27155-Kobold-Artistry-II-Magical-Wonders?goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 18:00:01 GMT Originally posted on Friday 05-10-2013 02:01 AM at *koboldquarterly.com (http://www.koboldquarterly.com)* Image:... Originally posted on Friday 05-10-2013 02:01 AM at koboldquarterly.com

Magic plays an important role in fantasy settings. From the searing heat of the fireball spell to the well-known and well-loved magic missile spell that wizards have relied on over the years, magic can grant you enjoyment at the gaming table and give those with artistic talent an outlet for providing us with stunning art. Creatures formed from magic play in the minds of many a gamer as he or she rolls dice, and some folk draw what they see in their mind’s eye and share it with the rest of us. Whether it’s a wizard using High Magic to devastate an army, an artisan crafting a wondrous magic sword in an arcane forge, or an awe-inspiring scene depicting one of the World Trees of Midgard—we want to see what you see.
In other words, it’s time that we had an art contest. Wow us with your own sense of wonder given visual form.
How does this work? First, think of something that is tied to magic that you simply must illustrate and then illustrate it. We’re making the overall focus of this contest very broad so that you have room to play. You can choose whether you use pencils, inks, watercolors, pixels — as long as you can scan the image in (or convert it in the case of digital format) and send it to us in a jpg file, we are happy. Your submission will be evaluated by a panel of industry professionals and by the fans. As with other contests we’ve done here on the Kobold Press site, fame and prizes play a part in this again. (More on that in a bit!)
So, what do you need to do? First, read all the stuff beyond the jump, then start letting those artistic talents of yours take over.
Contest Entry

Here’s how it works: To enter the contest, your art submission MUST…

Be sent to the Kobold Artistry II Contest at miranda(at)koboldquarterly(dot)com no later than June 2, 2013, by noon PST.
Be submitted as a jpg attachment.
Read Kobold Artistry II Submission [insert illustration's name] in the email’s subject line. Your full name and contact information should be in the body of the email (not in your attachment).
Be at least 300 pixels wide, but no more than 1MB in size. (If you win, we’ll ask for a print-quality version of the file, so hold on to that original artwork!)

Judging

All submissions that meet the criteria will be entered in the contest and be judged by us, the Kobolds, and our guest judges on originality, artistry, and uniqueness. The 5 best pieces of art will be published here on koboldpress.com and be voted on by the public. Of those 5 art pieces, the one with the winning votes will become the 2013 Kobold Artistry winner.
So who’s judging? We have a trio of extremely talented and wise judges: Wolfgang Baur, artist Terry Maranda, and art director Marc Radle. Take a look at their bios below.
Wolfgang Baur is the founder of Kobold Press, its publisher, and general go-to kobold. He enjoys the Gothic style in architecture, the Venetian style of rampant mercantilism, and the Dutch style in gardens and hydroengineering. For adventures, he’s an omnivore. Wolfgang is the author of the Midgard Campaign Setting, the Dark*Matter setting, the Kobold Guides to Game Design, and a smattering of other RPG titles dating from the days when TSR walked the earth. Wolfgang lives in an impenetrable set of warrens near Kirkland, Washington.
Marc Radle is a professional graphic artist and designer by trade. He also does lots of freelance illustration, graphic design, writing, and game design for various RPG companies. Marc’s very first professional RPG game credit (for illustrations, logo design, and graphic design) came in 1994′s Aria: Canticle of the Monomyth from Last Unicorn Games. He is currently the Art Director and primary graphic designer for Kobold Press.
Last year’s winner of the Kobold Artistry contest, Terry Maranda can be found in the mostly frozen wastes of Montreal, painting furiously with his nose to the screen, a digital pen in one hand and warm coffee in the other. During the day, he works as a lead artist in the video game industry, but at night he delves in to the darker side of his craft, designing battle-ready swords for Darksword Armory as well as illustrating tabletop RPGs, creating adventuring characters, viscous beasts, arcane items, and maps of distant lands for White Wolf (Exalted Series), Storm Bunny Studios (Rhune World), and BlackStar Studios (Shadowland). He also now creates denizens for the massive world of Kobold Press’s Midgard. Our Kobold Artistry II contest image (above) is Krik, Terry’s winning entry from last year’s Kobold Artistry contest. You can learn more about him at his website.
Prizes for the 2013 Kobold Artistry Winner

The winning artist will receive a cover commission from Kobold Press, plus be interviewed for the Kobold Press website (more on that later). All five finalists will receive a gift certificate to the Kobold Store.
Additional Rules

1. The contest is open to all.
2. One entry per person. The entry must be your own work, which has not been published previously, is not being considered for publication by any other publisher, and is original and does not infringe upon any copyrighted material.
3. All entries become property of Open Design LLC.
4. By entering this contest, you authorize the use of your name and likeness without additional compensation for promotion and advertising purposes in all media.
5. This contest is subject to federal, state, and local laws where applicable.
6. Open Design reserves the right to withdraw or terminate this contest at any time without prior notice.
7. All decisions of Open Design LLC and the judges are final.
Last year’s contest was amazing in terms of the talented artists who submitted their artwork, and we are looking forward to seeing the creativity that comes from our vastly talented Kobold Press audience this year.

Find this and other great articles at koboldquarterly.com.

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