Horrors of the Sepulchre - Zine Quest 3 Launch Friday!

Hey folks! 

My Zine Quest 3 zine is going to launch tonight! I'm creating this zine with Matt Jackson and artist Del Teigeler. Here's the link to the prelaunch page.

Horrors of the Sepulchre

Hope to see you join the Kicktarter campaign. This old-school zine is gonna rock!

Dice Roll Zine #3 in PRINT!

Hi folks! Long time no blog updates. All I can say is: crazy freakin' 2020. It's the Apocalypse, don't you know! 

So, what better time is there to check out DICE ROLL ZINE #3 in print before everything goes to shit?!? 

DRZ #3 was launched as part of Zine Quest 2 on Kickstarter early in 2020, and I now have print copies available for those who didn't know about or weren't able to back the zine during the campaign. Details below.

DICE ROLL ZINE #3

Get yer old school game on!
DRZ #3. 44-pages, B&W, saddle-stitched, digest-sized print zine. Old-School RPGs. 

Words by Steven A. Cook. 
Illustrations by Del Teigeler, Brian “Glad” Thomas and Glynn Seal.

In Dice Roll Zine #3

Fighting Tricks: Optional class ability for fighters
Lucky Dice: Optional ‘lucky’ dice re-rolls
Technomancer: Technomancy magic-using class
Technomancy: New ‘tech-themed’ spells & magic items 
Dragonauts: Mechanoid dragons of the Wastelands of Kreth 
Accursed Caverns of Xazyzl: Grueling dungeon for PCs levels 2 to 4
Ronculus Horngard: A science-fantasy inspired rhino-man NPC
Ugluks: A monster race in the tradition of ‘cannibal halflings’
Lifepath Backgrounds: Roll to generate PC background details

Available now from Hog Town Games Big Cartel store.
$7.50 USD print zine + shipping (worldwide). Includes free PDF.

DRZ Ramblecast #23 OSE Referee Files Part 3

Hi folks! I've just released Part 3 Character Classes & Advancement of my ongoing Anchor podcast series in which I delve into the Old School Essentials Classic Fantasy Rules Tome.



Or you can use this link to the Anchor podcast.

DRZ Ramblecast #22: OSE Referee Files Part 2

In this podcast episode I delve deeper into the Old School Essentials Classic Fantasy Rules Tome (the Player Characters chapter) and come out the other side with some intriguing thoughts (in particular) about ability scores and alignment. 

Or maybe I just kinda talk out of my ass for like 35 minutes. 

DRZ Ramblecast #22: OSE Referee Files Part 2 [Anchor]

Cheers! 

Steve C

Dice Roll Zine #3 Launched on Kickstarter for Zine Quest 2!

Hi folks! I just wanted to let everyone know that I have launched my Dice Roll Zine #3 as part of the Zine Quest 2 campaign on Kickstarter. You can find out all about it there, but I'll break down the contents below for you as well.

In Dice Roll Zine #3 you'll find:

• The Artificer of Xixis class -- a technomancy magic specialist.
• Technomancy -- new tech-themed spells and magic items.
• The Accursed Caverns (of Xazyzl) -- a 'mythic underworld' style adventure site for a group of lower level PCs.
• Roculus Horngard -- a detailed 'rhino man' sci-fantasy NPC to thwart/help your PCs.
• Dirty Tricks -- an optional fighter class ability.
• Dragonauts -- kick-ass techno-dragons.
• Ugluks -- humorous 'feral humanoid' monsters.
• 'Lifepath' PC Backgrounds -- create a PC backstory with a series of rolls.
• And even more old-school RPG goodies, all originating from my own sci-fantasy home campaign called The Wastelands of Kreth. 

Dice Roll Zine is entirely written by me and illustrated by some of the best old school-inspired artists around. Issue #3 currently stands at 40 pages, digest-sized, black & white interior and cover, and the zine will be professionally printed and staple-bound with a card-stock cover.

The zine is primarily based around the 1981 B/X style rules, so it's perfect for Old School Essentials games, but also very easily usable with any old-school systems like Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Basic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Black Hack, and so on.

I expect to have the Dice Roll Zine #3 PDF finished and released to backers in late May 2020, with the printed zine following up about a month later after proofing and final printing. I'd say that about 70% of the writing is complete and about 60% of the commissioned art has been received at this point, so I've given myself an ample fulfillment window to get everything tidied up and completed.

If you're interested in supporting me and Dice Roll Zine #3 on Kickstarter's Zine Quest 2 campaign, please check it out and join in the fun and exciting journey of bringing the latest issue of my old school zine to the people!

B/X (OSR) Essentials Class - Witch Hunter

I'm about to resume my B/X Essentials (well, actually now it's Old School Essentials!) RPG game, tentatively known as the "Gloomburg" campaign, which is set in a very Solomon Kane-Warhammer-The Midderlands-Symbaroum-ish blender campaign setting called the Border Ghostlands, with places named appropriately spooky things like Gloomwood, Daghold, Blackspire Peaks, Gloomburg, Blackhaunt Forest, Mistwood, Moontower, and so on and so forth. All very Doom Heavy Metal-ish and Nordic, I suppose. 

At any rate, I've needed a very loosely "Solomon Kane-ish" type class to help fill in some of the setting vibe, so this is what I've come up with. Feel free to let me know what you think! I've done very limited playtesting so far, so it's likely to continue to evolve (see notes below for changes). Hat tip to JB of the B/X Blackrazor blog for some of the original inspiration for this class, his Witch Hunter from a-way-way back in 2010.

http://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2010/04/bx-witch-hunter.html

Image copyright 2009 Epic Tales Limited,
Davis Film Productions S.A.S.,
Czech Anglo Productions SRO.
All Rights Reserved.

B/X CLASS: WITCH HUNTER

The witch hunter stands a beacon of light in the darkness against witchcraft, demonology and sorcery. His martial prowess and divinely-granted powers aid in his quest to protect the innocent and destroy evil. (More fluff text to be added later.)

Requirements: STR 9, WIS 9, CHA 9

Prime Requisite: WIS

HD: 1d6 (+1 per level after 9th level)

Max Level: 14

XP: as fighter

THAC0: as fighter

Saves: as cleric

Weapons: all 1-handed melee, crossbows, firearms

Armour: leather, chainmail, shields

Hunter of Evil: Can hide in shadows and move silently as thief of equal class level (if wearing leather only).

Limited Possessions: May only keep wealth and possessions that they can carry (or pack on mount). Excess must be donated to charitable groups that protect the innocent, or groups devoted to eradicating witchcraft and sorcery. Donating to other PCs forbidden.

Protect the Innocent: Sacrifice a number hit points to provide an equal bonus to allies/innocents on saving throws vs evil magic. Lasts 1 hour if protected in advance or allows a new save on existing spell effect at double bonus. Subjects must be touched.

Repel Witchcraft & Sorcery: Can turn demons, devils, magically summoned creatures, and evil spellcasters like a cleric turns undead.

Thwart Magic: Can detect magic like the spell 1/day per 5 levels (1-5/x1, 6-10/x2, etc.), and can dispel magic or remove curse like the spells 1/day starting at 5th level (2/day at 10th level and higher).

Tracking: Can track like a ranger of equal class level.

Edit 1 (Oct 25, 2019): Changed the Harness Magic ability to be useable from 1st level, but with scaling chances of failure based on spell level vs class level.

Edit 2 (Nov 8, 2019): MAJOR REVISION. Added WIS 9 requirement. Reduced hp to +1/level after 9th. Updated Hunter of Evil to note equal class level. Updated Limited Possessions to note specifics of donations. Updated Repel Witchcraft & Sorcery to remove 2 levels lower than cleric stipulation. Removed Harness Magic ability completely to better reflect "opposed to magic" vibe. Removed Detect Magic & Dispel Magic abilities and replaced with Thwart Magic. Added Tracking ability.

Hog Town Games Birthday Sale!

It's my Birthday so I'm having a sale on Hog Town Games' titles!

Until Labour Day, Dice Roll Zine #1 and Dice Roll Zine #2 PDFs are 60% off at DriveThruRPG -- only $2! The print on demand version (A5 perfectbound) of Dice Roll Zine #1 is also now available for only $4 (and you can get a free PDF too if you choose the combo!) on DriveThruRPG!

The saddle-stitch, digest-size print version of Dice Roll Zine #2 is now on sale exclusively at Hog Town Games' Big Cartel store for only $4 (+ shipping)!

Get yer old school game on!

Enjoy the rest of the summer folks!

Steve C