Zothique

Clarke Ashton Smith(CAS), along with Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft, was one of the founders of american pulp fantasy. He had a profound influence on the development of the fantasy genre and, while Gygax himself was not much affected by CAS, Tom Moldvay wrote the classic Castle Amber as an homage to Smith (much as The Lost City was an homage to Howard). Likewise, Jack Vance might be called his modern heir.

While my favorite writer in this group remains Fritz Leiber, I am fond of CAS, particularly his short stories. I have always felt his material is as inspiring for Sword & Sorcery as for Call of Cthulhu RPG horror. Xenopus in the J.E. Holmes "Blue Box" Sample Dungeon was inspired by CAS stories and that was my very first RPG adventure. I've been thinking of doing a CAS inspired Dungeon Starter for some time and while researching the idea came across the superb Eldritch Dark website (http://www.eldritchdark.com/) which had this little rpg gem (http://www.eldritchdark.com/files/articles/criticism/zothique-d20v1.pdf) posted on the site. It is is a d20 supplement describing the CAS Dying World of Zothique, simple to convert to Dungeon World. 

Christmas morning!

Dying Earth Dungeon World Sources

GMs who like my Dying Earth Dungeon Starter: 
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9OUdDYnBKck9fWG8/view?usp=sharing) might be interested in the Vancomancer, a "Dying Earth" style wizard playbook for Dungeon World. (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/125796/The-Vancomancer-A-Dungeon-World-Playbook?filters=0_2130_44819_0_0 )

DCC's The 998th Conclave of Wizards (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/169644/Dungeon-Crawl-Classics-88-The-998th-Conclave-of-Wizards) seems very Vance inspired to me.

Pelgrane Press has a RPG full RPG devoted to this world with multiple supplements although the line seems currently inactive. (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/11946/The-Dying-Earth-RPG?term=dying+earth&test_epoch=0&it=1)

If Life was like Dungeon World (or Monster-of-the-Week)

Dying Earth

This starter was inspired by the Dying Earth stories of Jack Vance, who was a Gygax favorite and inspired D&D's "Vancian magic system". The evil lich "Venca" was a tribute to Vance.

The stories Jack Vance's of the Dying Earth series are set in the distant future, at a point when the sun is almost exhausted and magic has reasserted itself as a dominant force. The Moon has disappeared and the Sun is in danger of burning out at any time, often flickering as if about to go out, before shining again. The various civilizations of Earth have collapsed for the most part into decadence and its inhabitants overcome with a fatalistic outlook. The Earth is mostly barren and cold, and has become infested with various predatory monsters (possibly created by magicians in a former age).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9OUdDYnBKck9fWG8/view?usp=sharing

Ioun Stones

Ioun Stones

The Ioun Stones comes from Jack Vance's Dying Earth series, which is where the "fire and forget" spell casting of D&D came from too, as well as some of the spells such as prismatic spray. The stones are harvested from the core of neutron stars that are being sliced away by the Nothing at the edge of the universe and are therefore rare and difficult to obtain. Their origin is dealt with in the Dying Earth collection Rhialto the Marvelous.

They were introduced in Issue #1 of Strategic Review (no author given, although there is a reference to Vance approving the design/inclusion and he and Gygax corresponded) and first made their way into the rulebooks with the original DMG.

These crystalline stones always float in the air and must be within 3 feet of their owner to be of any use. When a character first acquires a stone, she must hold it and then release it, whereupon it takes up a circling orbit 1d3 feet from her head. Thereafter, a stone must be grasped or netted to separate it from its owner. The owner may voluntarily seize and stow a stone (to keep it safe while she is sleeping, for example), but she loses the benefits of the stone during that time.

Ioun stones have 1 hit point, and an Armor of 5. The powers of each stone vary depending on its color and shape.

Example stones include:
Amber stone: adds 2 to armor class
Crimson spindle: grants user Infravision
Mirror pyramid: immune to petrification
Yellow sphere: sheds light (as per the rote)
Green star: immunity to poison
Green disc: you require no food, water or air
Red cube: immune to normal fire damage
Blue triangle: immune to charm and sleep spells
Dark blue rhomboid: you can never be surprised
Pale orange ellipsoid: feather fall (no damage from falling)

New Dungeon World Starter: Epic Fantasy

This is the third of my "subgenre starters" for Dungeon World. I'm sick, my mom's sick and I find writing these comforting I guess. Really inspired by the Swordbreaker fanzine; its my two cents that Dungeon World can handle a good many of the subgenres of fantasy.

“We have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us — the labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the hero path, and where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.”  –Joseph Campbell

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9c05lLVdCcURZT3c/view?usp=sharing

New Dungeon World Starter: Lovecraftian

I had to give my Gibbering Ooze a good new home...

"We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far."

-H. P. Lovecraft

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9elhJcnlnSmtPR2c/view?usp=sharing

New Monster

Gibbering Ooze	Solitary, Terrifying, Amorphous
Countless jaws (d10+2 damage 1 piercing)	15 HP	1 armor
Ignores Armor
Special Qualities: Gibbering causes -1 on all rolls, Immune to normal weapons, Vulnerable to fire. Will retreat to heal if damaged by ordinary means and drops to zero HP. Fire damage to zero HP will destroy it forever, If gibbering is somehow deciphered message usually useful.(Example: “Only fire will end me; please send me.”)

A Gibbering Ooze is a horrible hybrid of a Black Pudding, Shoggoth and Gibbering Mouther. It resembles a writhing mass of ooze covered with dozens of randomly placed eyes and gibbering mouths, of different sizes and shapes. 

Instinct: Consume

Custom Move:

When you first see the putrescent mutant mass of flesh, roll+WIS. On a 10+ your mind overcomes the horror in front of you and you may act normally. On a 7-9 choose one:

- You flee from the creature.

- You stand transfixed by its horror.

- You run crazed towards it, weapon swinging indiscriminately.

On a fail choose one of the above and lose one point of Wisdom.

"Remembering Leonard Nimoy” Documentary

"Remembering Leonard Nimoy” Documentary to Premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival 2017

LOS ANGELES – March 17, 2017

Leonard Nimoy, a prolific actor/director, best known for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise will be remembered in this new documentary produced and directed by his daughter Julie and son-in-law, David Knight.

“The Newport Beach Film Festival is extremely proud to host the world premiere of “Remembering Leonard Nimoy”. It is a powerful and intensely personal journey through the life of the legendary actor, director and artist.” Gregg Schwenk, CEO Newport Beach Film Festival.

“My husband, David, and I are thrilled that Newport Beach Film Festival has selected our documentary “Remembering Leonard Nimoy” to be screened at their film festival starting April 20-27 says Executive Producer, Julie Nimoy”.

“Remembering Leonard Nimoy” is an intimate journey into Leonard Nimoy’s personal life. Featuring stories from his childhood growing up in Boston, his early career in Hollywood, his breakout role on the Star Trek series, highlights from his remarkable career, special moments and memories shared by his family, to the remaining years of his life battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (COPD)

“Remembering Leonard Nimoy” features interviews with Leonard’s family which includes: his children Julie and Adam, his wife Susan, his step-son Aaron and his six grandchildren sharing poignant stories and special memories. This memorable documentary also includes never-seen-before videos and photos.

For film lovers and Leonard Nimoy fans, tickets for “Remembering Leonard Nimoy” will go on sale April 1st atnewportbeachfilmfest.com/.

Goodbye Goblin Gully

I have posted several Dungeon World conversions of Dyson Logos' popular Goblin Gully adventure in the past. I emailed him and asked permission to do so. However, I have noticed his position on his site has changed.

To quote:

"Just to be clear about these adventures – they are the Copyright of Dyson Logos.
While I encourage you to take my maps and use them for your non-commercial uses including posting them to your blogs, my adventures are 100% under my copyright. So if you want to modify or reformat one of my adventures for your own use, that’s totally cool, but they cannot be republished in this edited / reformatted format.

In other words: If you want a version of one of my adventures in PocketMod format, or re-statted for use with GURPS Magic or another system, go ahead and do it but do NOT post it to the internet, to your blog, or wherever else.

If you have a book where my adventures have material released under the terms of the OGL, you will note that the adventure title remains Product Identity, as do the maps. So if you want to use the OGL to republish my adventures, then be sure to include a new map and title.
Just to be clear about these adventures – they are the Copyright of Dyson Logos.

While I encourage you to take my maps and use them for your non-commercial uses including posting them to your blogs, my adventures are 100% under my copyright. So if you want to modify or reformat one of my adventures for your own use, that’s totally cool, but they cannot be republished in this edited / reformatted format.

In other words: If you want a version of one of my adventures in PocketMod format, or re-statted for use with GURPS Magic or another system, go ahead and do it but do NOT post it to the internet, to your blog, or wherever else.

If you have a book where my adventures have material released under the terms of the OGL, you will note that the adventure title remains Product Identity, as do the maps. So if you want to use the OGL to republish my adventures, then be sure to include a new map and title."

Therefore I am deleting all copies of my adaptions of Goblin Gully from my blog, the Tavern, etc. If you have a copy feel free to use privately but PLEASE do not post on the internet. Thanks.

The Hollow Fingers

Logan Howard strikes again! And this is more of an Empire Strike Back than the traditional sophomore slump! So go download this "precious" before the Centipede God devours you and then your party....maybe not in that order......Did I mention it's Pay What You Want? I can hear many legs a stomping! Go!

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/207706/Sword-Breaker-Issue-No-2--The-Hollow-Fingers?src=newest&filters=0_0_44825_0_0

The Tyrant Machine

Check out Logan Howard's new free Dungeon World zine, he's obviously a blazing new talent (he listed me as an inspiration, wise soul). Seriously, it is a wonderful bit of Dungeon World goodness, PWYW and what are you waiting for?

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/206544/Sword-Breaker-Issue-No-1--The-Tyrant-Machine

Under the Dark of the New Moon

Fans of my current S&S Adventure Starter (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9a1g2UEdQcmVSUWM/view?usp=sharing) might want to combine it with Jeremy's gem here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0lFq3ECDQDQeTkxMjd5WnVxMWc/view?usp=sharing)for some extra Robert E. Howard action for your own improved version of Conan the Destroyer with some additional screenplay adds by way of Lankmar. Also the humans only playbooks might be a good add: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9dUd3dkM0SERhQTA/view?usp=sharing)

Happy Adventuring!

New Dungeon World Starter: Sword & Sorcery Adventure

"Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky. But Crom is your god. Crom, and he lives in the Earth. Once, giants lived in the Earth, Conan. And in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered; and the earth shook. And fire and wind struck down these giants - and they threw their bodies into the waters, but in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield. And we who found it - are just men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery... You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one—no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts... This you can trust..."

— Conan's father, touting The Riddle of Steel

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9a1g2UEdQcmVSUWM/view?usp=sharing

DM Secrets

"The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules." -Gary Gygax

Dungeon World: Temple of the Shark Dungeon Starter

First Apes, now sharks on the brain. Actually it was a map posted on the internet that inspired this starter, it made me think of Fritz Leiber's wonderful story "The Sunken land" and J.E. Holmes charming fan novel "Maze of Peril". When I'm trapped in a difficult eldercare struggle, this is what keeps me sane...

At least till Cthulhu calls...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9RXRZZHBMQ2RIeGc/view?usp=sharing

New Dungeon Starter: Island of the Apes

With the new Kong and Planet of the Apes films coming out this year, I've gotten apes dancing through my brain. They've joined the pirates who are always there...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9bWRSd2o1eG1rTXM/view?usp=sharing

Underworlds

The referee must take care not to people (or perhaps “creature”?) his Underworlds with beings so
powerful that no player can emerge alive! The objective is an interesting adventure, with enough
danger for excitement (and also to punish the unwary and the foolhardy), but not simply to massacre
the players….Any campaign can be made much more enjoyable by the construction of a rough
“scenario” into which players can fit themselves. Countries, parties, temple factions, nonhuman
races, etc., etc., all will have objectives of some sort, and the referee should sketch these in….Thus,
players will encounter members of different factions within the Imperium, various foreign agents
with schemes of their own, individuals with a variety of plans and goals, nonhumans, and other
beings. These can be further detailed in play if need be…
- M.A.R. Barker, Empire of the Petal Throne