Farewell to a Successful Campaign.

Well, the OSRIC mega-dungeon play-test with Stuart Marshall has come to an end. Alas. Farewell Aggie, Erik, Thanatos, Njiall, Lan and Lysander. Farewell also to Skael, my first character in the campaign and also the first (and only) character to permanently die, the only other casualty having been raised from the dead successfully.

We've had a blast trying out the new Megadungeon as well as the new character classes and races that Stuart has developed for the game. I'm sorry to see it end. I'd love to be able to dish out some highlights, but I can't give away any spoilers.

At the end of a glorious campaign, only the fire-side tales remain

My favorite moment in the campaign was the sheer delight of Aggie when she found a magical glowing rock. She kept that glowing rock all through our adventures together, and it saved our hide more times than I remember. There were other awesome moments as well, however, but for the sake of spoilers they will have to remain forever between the members of the group.

At least until the book is released.

It's always somewhat sad and poignant when a beloved campaign (as this one was) comes to an end. All the more so because this game was so well run, the campaign so well written, the group dynamics so downright awesome. It was the first campaign I've seen to completion as a player in decades, a real pleasure to partake in. Perhaps all the more so because it was one of the few games in the last fifteen years or so where I've actually been able to play rather than DM.

But with the end of all things, come's the beginning of another. Although we originally gathered as a group of play-testers, we all want to stay together and keep the group running. So I once again find myself in the DM's chair, and dusting off my old Dark Heresy campaign first prepared nearly a year ago.

I'll keep you posted.

Avalon Campaign

Good News! Not only is the play-testing for a certain soon to be published Mega-Dungeon going extremely well (the party has now jumped from 4th to 9th level to playtest some of the important, "mid-game" parts of the adventure) but we're about to start a Monday night game as well.

One of the guys at my local wargaming group is starting his new AD&D second edition game tonight, and put together this great "concept" video to introduce us to the mood and themes of his home-brew campaign setting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=824RubcOUaM

I don't even know what my stats will be yet, but what I do know is that my character is going to be called Marcus Vibius Dentatus. The cognomen (sort of a hereditary nick-name) "Dentatus" mean's "born-with-teeth." Gaius Iulius Ceaser's cognomen meant "a fine head of hair", ironic considering he was balding at the time of his death. So yes, the term "Hail Ceaser" literally meant "Hail to the guy with the good hair."

Happy Gaming

The OSRIC campaign on google+ has been going for a couple of months now, and I wish I could tell you all more about it. However, as it's a play-test for some new material Stuart Marshall (editor of OSRIC) is looking to release I'm afraid I'll be doing the honorable thing and keeping my mouth shut about the details.

What I can tell you is that Staurt's new mega-dungeon is a very well put together and dynamic place, with plenty happening in the setting that is triggered by the action of NPC's. Rather than being a "typical" static dungeon setting, where nothing really changes except as a result of player actions, we're constantly being surprised by changes to the world around us. Changes resulting from very plausible causes-and-effects that are helping to immerse us all in the setting.

We've had one character death so far (mine) and I have to tell you it was a great experience to be losing characters for a change rather than killing off someone else's. It seem's like forever since I've had the chance to actually play in an old school setting, rather than DM it. And I couldn't be playing with a better DM than Stuart. Most of us have been holding on to our magical items (rather than selling them for quick xp gain) and that's something which, because of the pressures built into the session forcing us to explore deeper and take greater risks, is probably going to hurt us all in the long run.

Poor Skael didn't even get that option.

In the mean-time, we've been testing out new character races and character classes. Many are actually new takes on old favorites, but all have worked extremely well and added new elements to the game. One class in particular has especially captured my attention: a support/healer class that actually complements, rather than replaces, clerics and which free's up some of the cleric's spell slots for more than just healing.

I can't begin to hype this setting enough. In several months of gaming, we've encountered just four creature types that us old hand's in the party are familiar with. The sheer number of new races has added an unexpected element to the game: a certain degree of uncertainty over who we should be attacking outright, and who we might want to ally with first. That's gone a very long way to keeping the veteran grognards in the group on their toes just as much as the relative newcomers to dungeon-delving.

I've been keeping a campaign journal, but it won't be seeing the light of day until after publication of the mega-dungeon. Not unless Stuart want's to use it as a teaser. Can't wait to share out experiences with you all.

Got Group: Will Hangout

I'm that happy. Really.

Well, after last month's appeal for succor I finally have a regular gaming group again. Best of all: Stuart Marshall, creator/editor of OSRIC, is our DM! It was amazing how quickly I was able to put together a group of my old gaming buddies at the mention of his name!

We'll be play-testing a couple of his new, up-coming product lines so please don't expect to see any of my usual session reports recorded here. At least, not until after the release. I will be recording all of them though, so I can type up transcripts of each session for later publication.

Tonight will be our first session together as a full group and our first session of the actual campaign (as opposed to chatting and sorting out the technical aspect of running games over the internet).

If you can't already tell, I'm very excited. I can't remember the last time I actually got to play in(as opposed to run) a proper Old School game. Can't wait till my first save or die check.

Petty Gods

The OSR book, Petty Gods, is finally out! This may not be news to most of you, as it came out last month, but it was news to me! Heka-Kup, Petty God of Hiccups, was my very own creation. Go use him in your games -if you hate your players, that it.

You can read and/or download the book here, on Dropbox;

Old School Gamers Looking For a Group

Does anyone know of any regular Old School style campaigns played over Google+ or Skype that happen to be looking for new players?  Anything happening even remotely close to the GMT times-zone would do. I'd offer to start up a new game myself, but I don't have a campaign prepared. But if worst comes to the worst, that's what I'll do.

Mind you, I haven't had the pleasure of playing in an old school game (as opposed to running one) for more than a decade, so it would be awesome to get a chance to play.

In the absence of a regular campaign (or even a regular group of players down here in Folkestone). Caroline and I are going slightly nuts (just slightly) for want of a game. I'm almost at the stage where I'm ready to run a few published solo adventures (yes, it's really getting that bad) and she's almost mad enough to let me run her through them!

Silenced Voices: Mission Dossier

(To be Read Prior to the Campaign. Explanation for why this information is relevant will be forthcoming in game, but if you can't figure it out for yourselves you're playing the wrong game!).)

The Coriolanus Expedition:

The following has been re-classified for your security clearance. Not for dissemination outside the offices of the Holy Inquisition.

Intercepted Secure Vox Communication

Penumbra System Traffic
Classified Magenta

919.M41
Lord Rogal Coriolanus - our feted explorer and libertine-  is leaving Penumbra next cycle to investigate pre-Imperial ruins on Pharos. You've all seen the delicious articles he's uncovered in the vice-dens. Who can doubt he'll discover something equally licentious in the sands of Pharos?

Exerpt from local scream-sheet, "The Rubiantum Pillar Riposte" 919.M41

Coriolanus Expedition Embarks for Tabula Rosa aboard the Imperial Standard, a vessel chartered from the Rogue Trader Penhew Dynasty. Contrary to earlier reports, the expedition will conduct research in the data-stacks of the Penhew Archives before continuing on to Pharos.

Conscientious members of hive society will have attended- and remember- the enormous gala hosted by Lord Rogal Coriolanus at the Astoria upon claiming his leadership of House Coriolanus at the occasion of his majority. Since then, he has been famed and celebrated as much for his loquacious behavior as for his fine intelligence and collection of pre-imperial artifacts.

Members of the expedition have been reluctant to reveal their purpose on Pharos:

Renowned explorer and xeno-archeologist Aubrey Penhew, a lesser scion of the famous Penhew line, is captain of the Imperial Standard and a specialist in delicate or dangerous excavations.

Dr Robertus Huscarl, a medicae of some renown (in certain circles of the hive), is a specialist in both human and -reportedly- Xenos psychology. A former medical-adept of the Adeptes Munitorium, it is difficult for anyone in society to comprehend the reasons for such a mans presence on the expedition, unless, of course, traumatic battlefield injuries are anticipated.

Hypatia Magnus, a photo-visual remembrancer previously linked to Corolianus, will act as expedition remembrancer and archivist.

Jacobius Brast, an intimate of Lord Rogal and respected life-guard of House Coriolanus, accompanies the group as a general functionary.

It is believed that additional specialists may join the endeavor at Tabula Rosa.

Ordo Heriticus Communication:

++++Classified Mauve++++

Thought for the Day: Idleness begets Heresy!!
[classified]919.M41

+Coriolanus Expedition has departed Pharos+ Adeptes Telipathica confirm Imperial Standard on vector for Death World of Mgabe+Coriolanus has suffered injury+

Intercepted Adpetus Telipathica Transmission:

+++Classified Mauve+++
+++Thought for the Day: Pain Directs Effort+++
+++From: Adeptus Arbites, Mgabe Precinct House+++
+++To: Lady Erka Coriolanus+++
Regret to confirm Coriolanus expedition two months overdue+Declared missing+Presumed lost+ The Emperor protects+


Intercepted Adeptus Telepathica Transmission
+++Classified Mauve+++
+++Thought for the Day: The Emperor watches all+++
+++From: Lady Ekra Coriolanus+++
+++To: Major Domo, House Coriolanus+++
+++920.M41+++
+++ Have arrived at Mgabe aboard Penhew vessel Font of Life+++ Investigating possible massacre of off-worlders in North-Western Death-lands+++

Intercepted Adeptus Telepathica Transmission

+++Classified Mauve+++
+++Eyes Only+++
+++Thought for the Day: To err is to fail the Emperor+++

+++From: Lady Ekra Coriolanus+++
+++To: Major Domo, House Coriolanus+++
+++920.M41+++

+Have located site of off-worlder massacre in North West Deathlands+ Remains of 28 expedition members located+ Local Arbites suspect Nandi tribesmen+ No off-world bodies located+ Nandi tribesmen confirm fate of following expedition members+ Rogal Coriolanus confirmed dead+ Aubrey Penhew confirmed dead+Hypatia Magnus confirmed dead+ Dr Robertus Huscarl confirmed dead+ Many indigenous tribal bearers confirmed dead+ No off-worlder remains located+

Adeptus Arbites Records

+++From: Mgabe Precinct House+++
+++To: Central Archives, Tabula Rosa Sector Fortress+++
+++920.M41+++
+++Thought for the Day: Retribution Is Justice+++
+Five Nandi tribal leaders executed with extreme prejudice+ Admitted guilt but refused to disclose location of Coriolanus off-worlder remains+ Implication that victims were ritually tortured/dis-memberd+ Can confirm departure of Lady Erka Coriolanus and Font of Life prior to trial's conclusion+

Intercepted Astropathica Transmission:

+++From: Jeremiah Elias, Shian City, Shian+++
+++To: Erasmus Kensin, Rubinian, Penumbra+++
+++925.M41+++
+Suspicions re Coriolanus Expedition correct+ Major conspiracy at work+ Meet at Irridium Rest House day after docking+Traveling on Silver Majesty+