OSR News From The Underdark Gazette - Saturday, September 4, 2010 - 200th Post Edition

Faster Monkey Games Releases Skull Mountain

Our lead item this week, is the release of Skull Mountain by Faster Monkey Games. Authored by Jeff Sparks and featuring art from Steve Zieser and Andy "Atom" Taylor, the module runs to 36 pages and is available in PDF for $6.00.

"When a rock formation on an old volcano looks like a human skull, you’re gonna get cult activity. Sure enough, a group of unholy bandits called the Obsidian Heart moved in and robbed the countryside blind for their dark god, until Saint Garth smashed them a century ago. But after some recent earthquakes, the cult is back, practicing kidnaping and sacrifice and pretty much demanding to be hunted down. Why now? Who controls them? Just how deep do the tunnels go inside… SKULL MOUNTAIN?

"With 36 pages of adventure, 18 detailed maps, a new ritual magic system, and original fantasy art by Andy “ATOM” Taylor and Steve Zieser, “Skull Mountain” is an old-school dungeon crawl for fantasy games like Labyrinth Lord™. Recommended for four to six characters of 4th to 6th level.

"Dedicated to the late Dr. Holmes and the imaginations a certain map inspired."

 I've fallen behind on Faster Monkey releases, but I might just buy this one today. I really dug Wheel of Evil, a cool adventure with very pleasing production values. Congratulations guys! Keep it coming!

New Releases

John Stater, the James Brown of OSR Publishers, has released Nod # 4! Available in Print for $10.00 and in PDF for $3.50. 108 pages. Visit the author's blog, for a 10% off coupon code.

"In this issue of NOD: A sandbox hexcrawl with more than 200 encounters, 50 new monsters inspired by European folklore, a pantheon of deities inspired by the Dacians and Thracians and two dungeon adventures - one for low-level parties and the other for mid-level parties. Plus - the next installment of our serialization of George MacDonald's fantasy classic, Phantastes."

You can still get all the earlier issues of Nod, of course and if you haven't looked into the series, yet, the first issue is available as a free download, at the author's blog.

Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief by Dominick Pelletier has been released by Johnny Rook Games. 48 pages. Available in Print for $16.00, in PDF from RPGNOW for $12.00, in PDF from Lulu for $11.00 and in another Print version for $25.00. I'm not sure what the difference is between the two Print versions, but the author's last release had a color and B&W version, so this is probably the same deal. An Osric compatible module.

"For levels 1-3; Goblins have returned to the area of Westgate, seeking an ancient magical item constructed for their foul kind. In their search, the goblins attack an imperial convoy secretly disguised as a merchant’s wagon. The knowledge that goblins are near must be kept quiet from the public, thus a small band of adventurers is required to seek out the creatures and the stolen magic item, deep inside the warrens of the great goblin chief! But the adventure does not end there..."

Ludibrium Games has released Sanctuary of Ruin by Eric Jones. Available in print for $8.99 and in PDF for $3.99. The print version runs to 8 pages.

"The Bleak Tower, seat of the Margrave, liege of the border province of Blackmarch—the stage is set for a classic dungeon delve, unexpected villains, and a place for adventurers to rest and recuperate not without its own mysteries.

"The Sanctuary Ruin serves both as a standalone adventure or as the first chapter in the Blackmarch series of adventures—either way the perfect addition to your old-school campaign. The Sanctuary Ruin is a fantasy roleplaying adventure for 4-8 characters of levels 1-3."

Congratulations guys!

Free Downloads

John Stater from The Land of Nod has the Alpha version of his Mystery Men! RPG on Google Docs.

ze bulette of Dungeons and Digressions has some more Paper Mini's for us.

Rustfoot has the Almost Secret Tower of Leasspell for you to download.

A big thanks for all the cool free stuff!

Media Releases

Save or Die! Podcast Adventure # 5 - Jellies.

Zak turned us on to something sexy - Now playing on Theory From the Closet: Show # 060 - Interview with David Wesely.

The acrobatic flea from HeroPress has posted a video of a LotFP Box Opening ceremony.

I Hit It With My Axe: Episode 25: What's This Do...? 

bighara's video blog odyssey, continues.

Online Generators and Computer Applications

Sersa V from the Save Versus Death - Hardcore D&D 4e blog has put up a Dungeon Trick Generator.

Reviews From Around the Old School Blogosphere

James Maliszewski of Grognardia has Part III of his LotFP Weird Fantasy Role-Playing Game review up.

In Other News


Geoffrey McKinney has revamped his blog and announced a new project. If mixing Clark Ashton Smith with D&D sound good, then you might want to check it out! The author has posted a little bit of information on his upcoming release and his blog, Weird Worlds of Geoffrey McKinney still has purchasing information for the PDF version of Carcosa.

Yesmar of Sickly Purple Death Ray has launched a site for his new publishing endeavor. While you're at his blog, check out the new banner and if you haven't visited Yesmar before, I'd suggest digging into the previous posts and checking out his awesome mapwork! Calific will soon be releasing Marooned Across Space and Time, an adventure module in versions for Swords & Wizardry and Pathfinder. I dig the banner at the publisher site, as well!


James Raggi passed along a message from Noble Knight Games, directed to all of you fine OSR publishers. And thanks again, Mr. Raggi, for the Shout-out!

Expeditious Retreat Press has put their Malevolent and Benign First Edition Bestiary on Sale!

Zachary The First from RPG Blog II has posted Parts One and Two of his Interview with Frog God Games.

The Awesome Jeff Rients of Jeff's Gameblog has some cool Encounter Critical Links.

Scott from Huge Ruined Pile posted a link to his World of Thool wikidot site.

Steve Zieser, has started a gaming blog: Iron Rationales. You may know Steve from his artwork for several OSR releases, like Labyrinth Lord. Also, from his art blog, Curmudgeons & Dragons. Best of wishes Steve, on your latest endeavor!

Blog Spotlight!

Sorcery & Super Science is Joseph Browning's blog for Expeditious Retreat Press, focusing on material for their gonzo, Post-Apocalyptic Science Fantasy Game of the same name. The Author has posted a ton of new game material for the release, as well as some other stuff for Old School Gamers, like this First Edition Monster, or the Tome of Tomes series, which provides supplemental material for Advanced Adventues # 15 - Stonesky Delve. Of course, the series is of use to any DM, looking for detailed Tomes for his milieu and adventures. You can also keep informed on the latest ERP news and read some general game related essays, by Mr. Browning. Sorcery & Super Science is another fantastic blog, which is well worth your attention! While I'm at it, you can purchase Sorcery & Super Science the game in PDF at RPGNOW for $7.00 and it's available in Print for $15.00. The Free Quick-Start and introductory adventure, The House of Blue Men can be downloaded at RPGNOW.

What I'm Pimping This Week!

Aremorican Addendum: Vol 1 by N. Wright. Available as a Free Download. 24 pages.

"These classes are designed with the idea of replacing the regular default classes from Labyrinth Lord in my next game of Labyrinth Lord. The idea is a long-percolating one, coming from the long-standing dissatisfaction of race-as-class, not for whatever reason dealing with the idea that not all elves are fighter/magic users, for example, but for the fact that it is more fun to have the dwarf class represent a dungeoneer. Why let the fun demi-human classes go to waste just because one habitually runs a humans-only game? And what about the other classes, while we're thinking about it? Something always seemed funny about the thief class, and why is there a cleric class but none for the regular robed and fragile priest, and why are all magic users the same... You get the drift."

With new Classes, Spell-Casting Systems and more, the Aremorican Addendum is packed with new stuff for your game. It's also very nicely presented and the production values put to shame quite a few releases from folks who ask you to pay for their stuff! And be sure to check out the author's blog, while you're there: Lawful Indifferent. Oh, and his previous release, Servants of Plague. 

About The OSR News

Unless otherwise noted, all links to products and files are to the individual authors sites, pertinent posts, or sales pages. I don’t link directly to files, unless that is the only link available. The OSR News is produced as a service to the community and is entirely a non-commercial endeavor on my part. I have received no remuneration for advertising, reviewing or reporting on any of the items appearing herein. Please feel free to send me information on any new releases, events, or other items of interest, which you would like to see mentioned.

As always, the What I’m Pimping This Week section of the OSR News and its accompanying blog widget, feature products which I have purchased (or items which are available for free download) and wish to support. No one has asked me to spotlight their material in this section and I have received no payment of any kind for doing so.