Attronarch's Athenaeum

Campaign journals, reviews of TTRPG stuff, and musings on D&D.

Majestic Fantasy Realms by Robert Conley, the spiritual successor to the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, is launching soon on Kickstarter. It is a sandbox fantasy setting perfect for hexcrawl games.

Crowdfunding campaign will include:

  • Setting guidebook
  • 5 Judge maps (12” by 18”)
  • 5 Player maps (12” by 18”)

Rob will be releasing the whole setting under Creative Commons so anyone can adapt, modify, and contribute to their desire.

You can learn more about the setting on Rob's blog, and sign up to be notified upon launch at Kickstarter.

Really looking forward to it!

#News #Crowdfunding #OSR #MFRPG

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Adventurers

Character Class Description
Tarkus the Promising Cleric level 4 Follower of Bachontoi, God of Red Wisdom.
Beorg the Gravedigger Fighter level 3 Inspired to adventure after burying several adventurers.
Thorm Dwarf level 2 Ashen hair, beard, and eyes. Left his own clan due to financial trouble.
Ambros Cleric level 6 Follower of Aniu, Lord of Time.
Ignaeus Elf level 4 A slightly weathered looking elf with dull blonde hair and chiseled features. Seeks wealth and knowledge.
Foxglove Thief level 5 A willowy human, long hair ties in a pony tail, looks a bit dangerous and dainty at the same time.
Dalkanarion Fighter level 4 A youthful specimen in full strength, full of purpose, bluster, and eagerness to prove himself.

Dewsnap 3rd, Earthday

Ignaeus gripped his magical scimitar. He could hear yells and heavy thuds behind him. Reinforcements would come any moment now. But would they come fast enough?

Having driven mighty Dalkanarion back, the hobgoblins rallied and launched a counter-assault. By now they have slain the whole vanguard and surrounded Foxglove and Beorg.

The elf charged into the fray, closing the gap behind Beorg. Surrounded, adventurers fought desperately, dodging and parrying. Foxglove managed to retreat, badly injured, a final gift from Beorg. The gravedigger was soon slain. “I hope to be raised as an angry undead.” he uttered. Ignaeus killed with surgical precision.

“For Athena!” Dalkanarion bellowed, running down the stairs. Tarkus was right behind him. Marlon and Ambros followed. Behind them were five knights, and then forty heavy footmen. But the narrow staircase meant they could join one by one—while hobgoblins fought in numbers, holding a superior tactical position.

A particularly ugly specimen adorned with Chaos star duelled with Ignaeus. They traded several blows. Suddenly the beastman pulled a dirty vial and poured some vile chunky liquid down its throat. Its muscles bulged, breaking the chain shirt. The elf panicked for a moment, but composed himself in time. He launched a desperate jab, smashing through the monster's defences, driving the scimitar right through the bottle and throat.

Hobgoblin leader went toe to toe with unstoppable Dalkanarion. The two traded blows, but without victor. Adventurers, now in numbers and backed up, slowly regained control. The battle was desperate, fought inch by inch. Both sides stumbled over the corpses littering the hallway. Rivers of blood flowed between flagstone grooves, while gore caked the walls.

Tarkus the Promising joined the many corpses. His warm corpse was soon trampled in the heat of combat. Round by round, exchange by exchange, Ambros's holy army inched forward, slaying hobgoblins. Beastmen fought with iron discipline and unforgiving malice. Their chieftain was badly wounded but still fought on the front line, determined to kill Dalkanarion. Alas, that was not to be, for he was dragged out of combat by his own adjutants.

Ignaeus and Dalkanarion pursued the fleeing chieftain and his retinue but were too slow to catch up before they slammed the doors shut right in their face. Pumped Dalkanarion tore right through them, roared “Ares!” and cleaved the chieftain in half. A deformed, cloaked goblinoid escaped by jumping down the well. Another hobgoblin cut off the rope and destroyed the wheel, preventing timely pursuit. Adventurers poured into the chamber and killed the last remaining defenders, sans the one whom had escaped.

“Carry Tarkus, Beorg, and all the fallen soldiers.” Ambros commanded. Marlon nodded and the task was done. Ignaeus found Thorm, whom had been thrown into a small cave. A true miracle he survived the ordeal! Large force of heavy footmen, led by adventurers, cleared the dungeon in a little under two hours, finding no further opposition.

“High Priest Ambros, the keep has been secured!”

Twenty nine beastmen, five giant weasels, four kobolds, and one gelatinous cube. The price were the lives of Tarkus the Promising, Beorg the Gravedigger, and eight heavy footmen whom came from afar to serve Ambros.

The High Priest ordered the courtyard to be cleared and prepared for sacred ritual. He will bring back Tarkus and Beorg. Or at least he will try.

Discuss at Dragonsfoot forum.

#Wilderlands #SessionReport

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OSRIC, Old School Reference and Index Compilation, was the first retroclone of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Released almost 20 years ago, it led the charge during early days of OSR, providing means to legally publish content compatible with AD&D.

OSRIC 3.0, brings a host of improvements, focusing on providing more explanations and examples of play, replacing dense blocks of text with more accessible layout, discards OGL, brings the rules even closer to AD&D, just to name a few.

Campaign includes:

  • Player Guide (hardback smyth-sewn, landscape orientation)
  • GM Guide (hardback smyth-sewn, landscape orientation)
  • Curse of the Crooked Tower adventure by Steve “Zherbus” O’Connell (paperback)
  • Whispers of the Death God adventure by Gábor Csomós (paperback)
  • Fortress Tomb of the Ice Lich by G. Hawkins (paperback)
  • GM Screen (four panel, landscape)
  • VTT Resources (tokens and complete Foundry integration)
  • Compendium (paperback print on demand, portrait orientiation)

Learn more and back on BackerKit.

#News #Crowdfunding #OSR #OSRIC

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Update: following the reaction of fans, Goodman Games released two official announcements on their website (first, second). More details available on EN World topic.

Apparently Goodman Games shared the following at DungeonCon:

The implication is that the legendary Judges Guild module City State of the Invincible Overlord will be re-released by Goodman Games as part of the Original Adventures Reincarnated line. That is a deluxe line that reprints classics in letter-sized hardbacks, includes historical commentary, and conversion for either D&D fifth edition or Dungeon Crawl Classics.

Judges Guild produced some of the best material that hasn't been surpassed—Wilderlands of High Fantasy, City State of the Invincible Overlord, Ready Ref Sheets, just to name some—but was ultimately an unsuccessful company. They spent most of their company life lingering and licensing out their most attractive IP. That is how we got Wilderlands of High Fantasy boxed set by Necromancer Games, and then later two deluxe compilations by Goodman Games. Bud Judges Guild got cancelled hard when son (Robert Bledsaw II) and grandson (Robert Bledsaw III) of the original owner, Robert Bledsaw, went all anti-Semitic on social media. Due to this Judges Guild was removed from DriveThruRPG, and everyone in the industry broke ties with them. Goodman Games reached a special agreement to finish the second deluxe set without paying any royalties to the living Bledsaws. But all of that was in 2020. See here, here, and here for more details.

We know that Goodman Games later acquired all Judges Guild IP tied with Jaquays (see OAR7 Dark Tower, OAR9 Caverns of Thracia, and OAR9.5 The Hellpits of Nightfang), but it is unclear if that is the case with Wilderlands material as well. According to Aaron James Bledsaw, Goodman Games has licensed multiple Wilderlands IP:

We don't know much more since Goodman Games still hasn't announced anything yet—at least not officialy. Perhaps Bledsaws will use the money to refund backers they delivered nothing to.

As a big fan of Wilderlands, I must say that I am a bit surprised by including the Invincible Overlord on the cover. That tells me Goodman Games (or rather, the person responsible for the project) doesn't understand what City State of the Invincible Overlord is about. I hope they will reprint the original as they have done so far. But then again, they decided not to reprint the originals for OAR8 Grimtooth's Old School Traps and OAR9.5 The Hellpits of Nightfang, breaking the promise behind the line. I was not impressed by how OAR9 was done, nor with all the bloat that came with it. City State of the Invincible Overlord is about the map and terse key. I hope they reprint the original map in addition to whatever else they create. Either way, I will be backing this in order to get high-quality digital version of the originals.

Whatever happens in the end, the more Judges Guild material we manage to preserve, the better. I am looking forward to the official announcement from Goodman Games.

#News #GG #OAR #OSR

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OSRIC, Old School Reference and Index Compilation, was the first retroclone of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Released almost 20 years ago, it led the charge during early days of OSR, providing means to legally publish content compatible with AD&D.

New version, named OSRIC 3.0, brings a host of improvements, focusing on providing more explanations and examples of play, replacing dense blocks of text with more accessible layout, discards OGL, brings the rules even closer to AD&D, just to name a few.

Crowdfunding campaign will include:

  • Players Guide
  • GM Guide
  • Curse of the Crooked Tower adventure by Steve “Zherbus” O’Connell
  • Whispers of the Death God adventure by Gábor Csomós
  • Fortress Tomb of the Ice Lich by G. Hawkins
  • GM Screen
  • VTT Resources (tokens and complete Foundry integration)

You can read more about OSRIC 3.0 at Mythmere Games website, and sign up to be notified upon laucnh at Backerkit.

#News #Crowdfunding #OSR #OSRIC

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I stumbled upon Swords & Wizardry Complete 3rd Printing and couldn't resist picking it up:

#Postbox #OSR #SW #FGG

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Wizards of the Coast have just updated the System Reference Document to include v5.2 licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License:

The purpose of the SRD is to provide a foundation of Dungeons & Dragons content on which third-party publishers can build their products. It allows creators to reference and use the base game rules of Dungeons & Dragons in their products without the need to pay a licensing fee to Wizards of the Coast.

Direct download links:

More information is available at D&D beyond SRD page.

Great news for creators focused on retroclones and similar, although most of them have moved on after the OGL debacle.

#News #OGL #AELF

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Finally picked up last three orders from DriveThruRPG:

Empire of the Petal Throne: The World of Tekumel:

Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu:

Axioms Compendium Volume 2:

Swords of Wuxia:

City of Solstice: Evil Streets:

#Postbox #OSR #ACKS #TSR #ADD

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Frog God Games is running another flash sale, this time for Lost Lands books:

The croak-tastic celebration of Frog God Games turning 15 is still hopping right along! That’s right; we're throwing a party, and you're invited. From April 15–21, 2025, we’re slashing prices on The World of the Lost Lands, our official campaign setting, by a whopping 50% across all formats.

Three books on sale are:

Stoneheart Valley is worth getting just for The Tomb of Abysthor, great mid-level adventure. Very challenging one!

The above are discounted for 50% until April 21st.

#Sale #FGG #OSR #SW

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Adventurers

Character Class Description
Tarkus the Promising Cleric level 4 Follower of Bachontoi, God of Red Wisdom.
Beorg the Gravedigger Fighter level 3 Inspired to adventure after burying several adventurers.
Thorm Dwarf level 2 Ashen hair, beard, and eyes. Left his own clan due to financial trouble.
Ambros Cleric level 6 Follower of Aniu, Lord of Time.
Ignaeus Elf level 4 A slightly weathered looking elf with dull blonde hair and chiseled features. Seeks wealth and knowledge.
Foxglove Thief level 5 A willowy human, long hair ties in a pony tail, looks a bit dangerous and dainty at the same time.
Dalkanarion Fighter level 4 A youthful specimen in full strength, full of purpose, bluster, and eagerness to prove himself.

Dewsnap 3rd, Earthday

“Aha!” Thorm found a secret chamber hiden behind a bookshelf in the commander's quarters. The chamber itself was barren. Worried that monstrous keep defenders might have retreated only to return through some secret pathways, Thorm and adventurers scoured the room.

Investigation paid off, for they found two more secret doors. One-way doors to the east led straight out of the keep. Smaller, rectangular doors to the north led into ten feet long crawlspace. That, in turn, opened up in a teen feet wide chamber, completely bereft of anything.

Perplexed, adventurers crawled over every inch, finding nothing. But keen-eyed Thorm spotted that torch-light smoke was flowing weirdly. There was something invisible floating high in the air!

Too high to reach, the adventurers assembled a mighty human-elven-dwarven pyramid. Buff Dalkanarion stood on a short stool. Thorm held the stool by the legs—to provide much needed stability—while Ignaeus climbed on the fighter's shoulders. Tarkus stood to the side, praying vigorously to Bachontoi.

These shenanigans lasted for quite some time. Payoff? There was something rectangular and metal levitating close to the ceiling. It was immovable and felt like a chest to Ignaeus, but was otherwise a mystery.

“Perhaps we should return to this later, after we have secured the keep.”

Proposal most genius indeed.

“High Priest!” Marlon greeted Ambros as he had marched into the keep courtyard. “Beastmen have fled, most likely into the dungeon below. I wanted to take men down, but your friends asked us to wait.”

Adventurers updated Ambros on what they had found in the keep.

“It is time to strike!”

Dalkanarion, Tarkus, Beorg, Ignaeus, Thorm, Foxglove, and a squad of nine heavy footmen were first to descend. The stairs were narrow, allowing for a single file marching order only. They turned right four times until they opened up in a ten feet wide corridor.

Dalkanarion and Thorm were rewarded by a hail of bolts. They charged forth into the darkness, supported by Tarkus and Ignaeus. Sounds of crossbows hitting the ground echoed, as a group of hobgoblins counter-charged.

Ignaeus and Beorg were behind, just at the stairs landing. They were flanked by doors, one to the left and one to the right. Both swung open, and a mass of hobgoblins tried to swarm the corridor, aiming to attack adventurers from both sides.

Ensuing skirmish was brutal. Dalkanarion roared and swung mighty Oathkeeper, slaying beastmen left and right.

“Freeze! Freeze!” Ignaeus yelled at various groups. Few were able to resist his magical sword, and were indeed frozen in place. Soldiers poured down the stairs, fighting ferociously.

Beastmen corpses littered the corridor—but survivors were relentless. They fought for their life bitterly. Ambushing groups retreated and shut the doors behind them. Group to the left hammered some spikes to make the doors more difficult to open, while the group to the right left the doors unsecured. Beorg and Foxglove, supported by four heavy footmen, pursued the right group.

An impressive specimen approached Dalkanarion. Grecian fighter bellowed his challenge. Hobgoblin leader accepted it gleefully. “Cheater!” young fighter yelled as painful convulsions shook his whole being. Thorm could hear sinister chanting up ahead in the darkness. Dalkanarion suffered once again.

Pursuing soldiers met their doom, not at the hands of wounded hobgoblins, but in the jaws of feral giant weasels. Foxglove was half-chewn himself, and would have probably died had it not been for Beorg. Pursuers now fought on the defensive, falling backwards under brutal onslaught of furry beasts. They felled two, but one was still gnawing at them. Wounded hobgoblins rallied and charged.

“Where are you?!” Dalkanarion roared as impenetrable darkness befell his eyes. He could not see anymore!

“Oh, I thought you would heal me...” Thorm whispered sadly as Tarkus laid his hands on the warrior instead. Then he froze in place. Two hobgoblins grabbed Thorm and dragged him into darkness.

“Sirs, we should go!” one of the few surviving soldiers yelled.

Tarkus grabbed Dalkanarion by hand and dragged him to stairs. Ignaeus stood there, shooting, waiting for last of the adventurers to fall back. Roars and cries echoed as hobgoblins rallied and charged the survivors from all sides.

Foxglove, Beorg, and two heavy footmen, were completely surrounded. How long will the last, wounded and outnumbered? Ignaeus watched, his magical sword completely expired. Tarkus dragged Dalkanarion up the stairs, the latter full of fighting spirit but denied by magical darkness, yelling for Ambros to come down.

Purging evil and chaos comes at a price. Often a high one.

Is the high priest ready to pay it?

Discuss at Dragonsfoot forum.

#Wilderlands #SessionReport

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