Attronarch's Athenaeum

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

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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A zine chronicling the Conquering the Barbarian Altanis D&D campaign.

This issue details sessions 74, and 75. Adventurers get to feel the real wrath of Zarifa.

You can download the issue here.

Overlord's Annals zine is available in print as part of the legendary Alarums & Excursions APA, issue 593:

This is also the last issue that will be featured in the A&E APA since it is ceasing publication. I might publish it in another APA. More information on that a bit later.

#Zine

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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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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.
Dalkanarion Fighter level 4 A youthful specimen in full strength, full of purpose, bluster, and eagerness to prove himself.
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.

Dewsnap 3rd, Earthday

High Priest of Forseti watched as his army marched towards Cedarwade keep. Knight Marlon val Brookwood led the charge with his five most trusted warrior. Tarkus accompanied them, providing blessings. Marlon led the charge on foot, after being convinced to do so by Ambros. “He must be testing my faith and devotion.” Marlon thought to himself.

Behind Marlon marched four squads of heavy footmen, led by Dalkanarion, Ignaeus, Beorg, and Thorm respectively. Jace, stone-cold leader of mounted crossbowmen, led six lances. Three were with her, while other three approached the keep from south. She rejected Ambros's advice to dismount.

“You do realise you are a bigger target when on horse?” Ambros implored in frustration.

“Am I now? Observe.” Jace replied.

Vicar Arlon led two squads of heavy footmen, while four squads followed Ambros himself. Three squads and a lance of heavy horsemen were left behind to guard the camp. Four lances of heavy horsemen were ordered to wait to the east and west of the keep—-in order to clean up any stragglers or fleeing monsters.

Beastmen holding the keep were prepared. So much was confirmed by Thorm whom had drunk the potion of gaseous form in order to scout the fortification. Two hobgoblins were stationed at each of the four towers, armed with heavy crossbows. Carts filled with oil-soaked rags blocked the gatehouse, while half dozen of hobgoblins laid in ambush, prepared to set the attackers on fire.

In the very first missile exchange Jace's units eliminated half of the defenders on towers. Hobgoblins missed again, and again. Ambros prayed and then fell into deep concentration. A great swarm of insects gathered on the castle wall, forcing those caught in it to flee for their life.

Mounted crossbowmen rained hell upon the keep, killing all beastmen stupid enough to poke their ugly faces over the crenelations.

“Charge! Onwards!” Marlon roared. Protected by constant barrage from the crossbowmen, as well as High Priest's insect swarm, heavy footmen reached the gatehouse without any casualties whatsoever. They rolled the carts out of the way and spilled into the courtyard, ready for some violence.

“Where are they? Show yourself!” Marlon roared in frustration.

Squads split and begun going through the keep. Dalkanarion broke into the stables, where he dispatched large gelatinous cube. Beorg led a squad up the gatehouse and then cleaned each of the towers. Ignaeus and his squad swept the barracks—-now devoid of life, but full of filth left behind by its foul inhabitants. Thorm led a squad straight into the chamber where he had seen a leader of these monsters. There they ransacked the room—-and dwarf found out a possible secret door.

“Die in the name of LAW!”

Tarkus heard Marlon yelling. They had just entered the largest building in the keep—-mess hall by all accounts. Cleric rushed west, after Marlon, only to find him wipe his bloodied sword after slaying four pathetic creatures.

“These are no hobgoblins. Some slave servants. Goblins maybe?”

Dalkanarion and his squad entered the mess hall. Mighty warrior stared at the staircase leading down, into the dungeon. Adventurers readied themselves for the descent.

Have the defenders truly fled? Or is the real battle about to begin?

Discuss at Dragonsfoot forum.

#Wilderlands #SessionReport

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