
I've been playing in my brothers 1e (with houserules) adventure along with my sister-in-law and a couple of friends since the Christmas holidays. During sessions I doodle some of the action and I've started to develop these into a strip charting the party's progress. I shall be sharing these in this thread - updates will be when I get the time to put pen to paper. Should be noted that these are "cartoons" and I'll be using some artistic license but the spirit of what happens at the table will always be there...
Party:
Byon of Athfort
Human Fighter - Level 3
Aeife Green-oak
Halfing Druid - Level 3
Ellodin Afoncoed
High Elf Fighter/MU - Level 2/2
Arilith Dorchabas
Drow Fighter/MU - Level 2/2
Gorimm (NPC)
Dwarf Cleric - Level 3
Part 1 - Hollow Hills
Background:
The party have been hired by a Whitehaven noble family to rescue their son whom they believe has been kidnapped by a rival family and taken to the port town of Finwyrm to be sold into slavery and taken overseas.
The party have left the town of Whitehaven and to reach Finwyrm they would either have to cross a mountain range or take a very long route around them. At the foot of the mountains they came across a settlement of gnomes who had been troubled by bands of goblins and hobgoblins who had taken up residence in an old deserted hillfort. During the clearing of the hillfort the party found an old map which showed a series of tunnels and passages leading through the mountains themselves. They have been in these passages for some days now their progress being dogged by increasing numbers of Duergar. They have lost the cleric Gorimm during one fierce melee and although not finding his body believe him to be dead. We join them as they reach a junction in the passage. An open pit is evident in the secondary passage and further down it are fallen boulders where some of the walls have collapsed.....
Arilith on point Ellodin guarding the rear.
Note: During the course of the action Arilith, standing right at the lip of the pit, had to make a dexterity save or loose her footing. A roll on d20 of her dex score or under was required to be successful. She has a dexterity of 17... I rolled an 18.
My Personal Rules as a Player
1) I do not hoard my wow-bangs. If I die with a sheet full of magical items or spells, then I played in vain. I am not here to advance a character, I am here to make fun memories with people I enjoy spending time with...(click above for more!)
All of the OSRIC rules in one place
EOTB
Approach: gamist over simulationist
Appeal: player skill over character skill
Aesthetic: Heavy Metal: the Movie over fantasy geographic
My games and writing center around sandboxing between urban, wilderness and megadungeon play; and also a heavy dose of other-planar.
Quirks include an irrational love of treasure maps, and using the DMG unarmed combat tables. Dice openly rolled to the fullest extent possible. Illusions are real to the character if the player responds except to disbelieve. Gandalf was just a 5th level wizard, prove me wrong.
The OSRIC Player's Guide, by Seattle Hill Games, has most of the core rules to play the advanced first edition of the world's most popular role-playing game. It is an easy introduction on how to play the game as Gary played it. Once you have mastered the rules herein, you should be able to easily assimilate the full rules from the golden age of fantasy adventure gaming.
Please note; this is not the full ruleset. You will also need a manual of monsters and a game master's guide, which are available online. Alternatively, you can pick up the full OSRIC rulebook from Black Blade Publishing.
Druids and Undead
Druids in First Edition AD&D do not have the ability to turn undead. Other than physical combat or druid spells, druids are just like anyone else when it comes to undead.
Comonoc the Spry
Cleric of Xan Yae, 11th level
S 4, I 15, W 18, D 3, CH 15, AC 10, HP 39, AL N
Psionic Ability 150 (75 att/75 def)
attack modes: psionic blast, mind thrust
defense modes: mind blank, mental barrier
Disciplines: (minor) domination, ESP, object reading, precognition; (major) energy control
Spells normally memorized: (7/6/5/4/2/1) command, CLWx2, light, remove fear, sanctuary, augury, hold person, messenger, slow poison, withdraw, wyvern watch, cure disease, dispel magic, magical vestment, meld into stone, speak with dead, implore, CSW, divination, PFE 10' rad, commune (if unable to memorize commune then golem or insect plague instead), true seeing.
old, sane, precise, violent, diplomatic, cheerful, active intellect, hard-hearted, intellectualist, scrupulously honest, interested in husbandry and athletics
Comonoc is an emaciated, legless whisp. He's well-regarded by the poorer masses because of his frequent assistance to sick or injured children and his financial support of the soup kitchen. Although the town isn't particularly fervent, Comonoc is influential while working quietly towards his own ends, which are invested in the status quo. He often changes the course of events small and large without anyone being the wiser...(click above for more!)
Dread Swamp of the Banshee
The beautiful and wealthy noblewoman Astoria Pardition needs your help. Returning home after many years of traveling adventures, she has discovered that her family lands have now become a cursed swamp! Many treasures were lost and now lay buried in the evil and water soaked muck. In addition, a sinister banshee has arisen who lurks in the darkness of the bogs, moaning and howling throughout the night, frightening the locals! Smugglers and criminals have invaded as well to hide their felonious activities here, but there is more to fear in the mist than the designs of wicked and evil men. A brave group of adventurers is needed to set things right again for the hefty reward she is offering! Find your courage, sharpen your blade, trust no one and you may just solve the mystery, get the booty and survive the Dread Swamp of the Banshee!
Hordes of metal monsters are ransacking small towns and villages and it's up to you to track down the source and put an end to the terror. The quest will take you to ancient ruins where you must face off against the diabolical designs of the Mad Master and traverse the mind-bending dungeon of his grand maze. Devilish inventions, clockwork horrors and insidious traps will test your party's mettle as you seek to unravel the mysteries, solve the puzzles, and escape the Moving Maze of the Mad Master!
Undead In AD&D Part 2
Yesterday, I wrote a bit about Undead in AD&D, with a focus on the Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide.
I got a lot of likes and comments on it, some wanting to see what I had to say about the Fiend Folio.
I have some art, work OSRIC is welcome to use as it deems fit.
Old School Role Playing
Old School Role Playing produces OSRIC material and other old school products for Drive Thru RPG. It also offers a blog with weekly articles on old school topics.
Strange abductions of villagers and travelers are growing bolder near the port town of Caraal on the edge of the Glimmerhold Jungle. Frightened and half-crazed, a woman has escaped from her captors and returned to civilization. She tells tales of snake men who inhabit the ruins of an ancient temple deep in the jungle. Adventures are called for to put down this threat. The jungle is thick and full of strange creatures. The ancient terrors of the snake men are only rivaled by whispers of the treasures of their lost civilization.
This one-shot adventure for OSRIC, AD&D or similar retro-clones is recommended for 7th through 9th level characters.
The Mystical Trash Heap
My infrequently-updated blog ostensibly covering the entire gamut of 80s-era pop culture but in practice focused mostly on D&D, specifically Gary Gygax-flavored 1st edition AD&D and the World of Greyhawk. Occasional house-rules and new crunch (spells, monsters, items, etc.) are posted alongside reviews and retrospectives, reminiscences, philosophical musings, polemic rants, and other standard blog fare.
Locals have been hearing whispers of strange happenings around the Ancient Volcano. Rumors over the last several years of an unspeakable evil that has risen up inside. An evil that "fell from the stars." There is something wicked and devilish going on inside. Highwaymen report of strange creatures, mechanical monsters, horrible beasts and "little green men" that are roaming the land. You and your stalwart adventurers have decided to take on the challenge of plundering the mountain for the treasure within!
"YAR to "The End of the OSR"
Melan's post discussing the end of the OSR, and Anthony Huso's response, offered a chance to have -if for a small moment shared by only a few people - that sort of chained conversation that kicked the whole mess off and running.
I say "mess" with mixed feelings ranging from fondness to good riddance...(click above for more!)
I was reading up on the various undead in the Monster Manual, and noted which ones in their descriptions specifically mentioned throwing holy water on them would hurt them.
MontiDots Ltd
We are about writing, illustrating and publishing table top role-playing games. MontiDots is a collaborative venture between three friends incorporating passions, skills, ideas, creativity and fun. Through OSRIC we have published a series of adventures for various levels of play from low level exploratory dungeons to grim survival adventures in upper layers of hell.
When a cleric reaches 8th level, the place of worship described must be built within the civilized realms of
Shadow of the Necromancer
Fear stalks through the darkness of night in the form of the walking dead! They attack innocent travelers and merchant caravans in the moonlight! Animated skeletons have also been seen digging up the recently dead and carrying them into the nearby ruins of an old abandoned keep! Rumor spreads fast from lip to ear amongst the locals, whispering that a sinister hooded figure has been seen directing the undead and is taking up residence in that foul dungeon! Your stalwart group of adventurers has decided to take on this challenge, get the treasure you know is in there and defeat this evil menace known only as the Shadow of the Necromancer!
The Hyqueous Vaults
CREATOR
The Mystical Trash Heap
PRODUCT
ZA5: Flayers of the Mind
PRODUCT
The Obsidian Sands of Syncrates
MEDIA
Undead In AD&D Part 2
Beneath Black Towen
PRODUCT
The Seven Shrines of Nav'k-Qar
PRODUCT
ZA1: The Temple Of Chaos
PRODUCT
The Howling Hills
PRODUCT
Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen
LG1: Terror in the Forest of Gizzick
PRODUCT
HU3 The Mortuary Temple of Esma
PRODUCT
F1: Zombie Curse
PRODUCT
L5A: The Kroten Campaign Guide
PRODUCT
OSRIC Player's Guide
HM4 - Pop Goes the Meazel
PRODUCT
100 Intelligent Swords
PRODUCT
ZA7: Temple of the Ice Gods
CREATOR
OSRIC
PRODUCT
The Conqueror Worm
HU2 A Fabled City of Brass
PRODUCT
The Forgotten Grottoes of the Sea Lords
PRODUCT
The Village With No Name
PRODUCT
& Magazine #4 - Classes and Guilds
PRODUCT
ZA3: Garden Of Evil
OSRIC (Original PDF)
PRODUCT
Limbus Infernum
PRODUCT
Pre-Generated Characters: Vol. 2
PRODUCT
Prison of Meneptah
PRODUCT
Bitteroot Briar
Rage from the Waves
PRODUCT
Horror of Spider Point
PRODUCT
The Red Mausoleum
PRODUCT
The Halls of Lidless Shabbath
PRODUCT
A Magical Society Aggressive Ecology: The Slaver Fungus
Free Town of Groat's End - Twisting Stair Dungeon
PRODUCT
Footprints #14
PRODUCT
OB4: The Secret of the Library
PRODUCT
Necromancer's Bane
PRODUCT
Vault of the Dwarven King
The Horror of Merehurst
PRODUCT
L5B: The Kroten Adventures
PRODUCT
L4 - Devilspawn
PRODUCT
Mundane Magica
PRODUCT
OB6 :The Lost Mithral Mine
Old-School Gazette #8
PRODUCT
L5C: The Kroten Campaign Companion
PRODUCT
OSRIC (Black Blade)
PRODUCT
Under Ruined Onm
PRODUCT
Monstrous Tome - Volume One
Site Designed by the
Mage in Black