OSR News from the Underdark Gazette - Saturday, November 14, 2010

John Stater releases Pars Fortuna Basic

Pars Fortuna Basic Rules, Available as a free download, the complete rules version is coming soon! If you're not familiar with what John's been doing with this, here's a quote from one of his earlier blog posts on The Land of Nod:

As I've mentioned before, I'm working on creating a set of rules based on Swords & Wizardry called PARS FORTUNATM. The gimmick is that the races, monsters and magic items are all based on things generated using a variety of online random generators. I'm also including a host of alternate rules - a different magic system, loads of spells adapted from non-traditional sources, etc. The idea is that the game will be playable as is, or could serve as a toolkit for those wishing to spice up their existing old school games. In the end, it may come to nothing, but its a fun experiment for me.

I've only had a chance to glance through the PDF, but it looks cool and I'm looking forward to reading the Basic Rules.

New Releases

Stonehell Dungeon Supplement Two: Buried Secrets by Michael Curtis. 3 Headed Monster Games. Available in PDF format for $2.99. 20 pages.

The second in a series of supplemental material for STONEHELL DUNGEON, this twenty-page PDF is an anthology of three adventuring sites located in and around the ancient prison suitable for exploration by low-level characters. Included are “Modnar’s Cellar,” the undercroft of a ruined tower owned by a magic-user with a strange agenda, “The Nest of Otrogg,” a cave system once occupied by a loathsome cult, and “The Sanctuary of Chthonia,” a secret sub-level located inside Stonehell Dungeon and overseen by an undead witch. It also introduces two new spells, eight new monsters, two new magical items, and a pair of minor deities for your Labyrinth Lord™ game. This supplement contains three maps but no other interior illustrations.

Book of Races by Jason Kemp. Samardan Press. $3.99 for the PDF. $8.99 for the print. 22 pages.

The Book of Races is a character race supplement for Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, and other Old School or retro-clone rules systems. The Book of Races provides details on twelve different races in two different formats: as character races separate from classes, and as racial classes. Whatever your gaming preferences may be, the Book of Races provides twelve new character races to enhance your gaming experience. This supplement details the Artathi, the Duar, the Elde, the Eldeblooded, the Feytouched, the Giantkin, the Goblin, the Hyrknoff, the Kelshan, the Ordath, the Vaelan and the Wyrmblooded. As a bonus, an appendix also introduces the Simple D6 Check System.

Lost Man's Trail by Bob Bledsaw. Art by Bob Bledsaw II, Ken Simpson, Ed Perry, Erin McKee. Judges Guild. Available in  Print for $16.00 and in PDF for $8.00. 43 pages.

Lost Man's Trail (2010) JG1290 Bob Bledsaw's final contribution to the fantasy world he created, the Wilderlands. This adventure module runs some 24 pages, with 12 maps covering the areas of encounters, in addition to detailed Campaign Maps for Wilderlands Hexes 3615, 3715, 3814 and 3914 of the Roglaroon and Gasconfold Plains Regions, between Modron and Tegel. The trail east from Modron to the Coast, known as Lost Man's Trail, has been a source of mystery for some time. Adventurers have a habit of disappearing from the trail. Are they lured away by some enticement, or waylayed by the legendary Skandic Raiders? The only safe place to stay, The Fat Deer Inn, offers good ale, soft bedding, and an assortment of characters; each having their own reason for being there. This product was written by Bob Bledsaw for use with the Judges Guild Universal System, and contains the latest version of charts to date. Happy Gaming!

The Legend of Jub Jub Lake by David Bezio. Grey Area Games. Available in PDF for $2.50. 9 pages.

This Labyrinth Lord adventure takes place in the area detailed in The Phoenix Barony Setting and the Tathor Gazetteer. When a giant fish, the Black Leviathan, starts swallowing all the men who dare to fish on Jub Jub Lake, the village is in dire peril. If this wasn’t bad enough, Goblins are attacking the village simultaneously! This small fishing village is in desperate need of heroes to save them, and uncover the mystery of what is going on. A level 3rd-5th adventure.

Free Downloads

ckutalik of Hill Cantons has a White Wizard for you to download.

Al of Beyond the Black Gate has some Old School Feats.

Lost Daughter by David Bezio. Grey Area Games. Available as a free PDF download. 5 pages.

This short introductory adventure for Labyrinth Lord RPG takes place in the area detailed in The Phoenix Barony setting and the Tathor Gazetteer. The PCs want only to travel peacefully through the dark Fenwood to get to Tathor, but, the pleas of a dying man take them on an adventure to rescue his kidnapped daughter. A 1st level adventure.

Jim Pacek of Carjacked Seraphim has scanned one of his old adventures and PDF'd it! The Barrow of King Grothegarka’an.

ze bulette of Dungeons and Digressions has posted a couple of B2 related mini-dungeon maps.

Evan of In Places Deep has recently posted a couple of hexmaps, you might find useful.

Dave of The Library has a 7 page Spaghetti Western supplement - Pay for your Coffins... Django and Sartana are Coming!

Simone Neri has made a Mystara supplement - History of Dragonkind. A 26 page PDF with a snazzy cover! Thanks to Havard of Havard's Blackmoor Blog for turning us on to this sourcebook.

Joe Bloch from Greyhawk Grognard has another preview from his upcoming Adventures Dark & Deep: The Mystic.

Media Releases

Samwise7 has a 2 part video review of AD&D 2nd Edition. Here, and then here. 

Save or Die Podcast #11: The Gold Dragon.


Reviews from around the Blogoverse.

Alex Schroeder has part 2 of his review of Fight On! # 9.

James Maliszewski of Grognardia has a review of Fight On! # 10.


JDJarvis of Aeons & Auguries has a review up of Pars Fortuna: Basic.


In Other News

James Maliszewski brings us the latest news on Petty Gods. 


Scott of Huge Ruined Pile has started a discussion forum, focused on the kind of literature I would imagine, most of my readers enjoy.

Tavis of The Mule Abides has posted several videos from the Dungeons & Dragons in Contemporary Art panel, recently held in NY.


What I'm Pimping this Week


Philotomy's Musings by Jason Cone. Edited by Jason Vey. Available as a free download. 49 pages in PDF format.

You're probably familiar with Philotomy's OD&D Musings, and if you aren't, you should be. It's a seminal work, in the current resurgence of  TSR era gaming. But, I want to make sure you're aware of Jason Vey's production, where he's taken Philotomy's work and turned it into an OD&D style booklet. Very, very cool, like all of Mr. Vey's work!

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"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.

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