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I’ve had the pleasure to provide the artwork for 76 unique items for the Encyclopaedia of Incredible Artefacts. Two volumes of incredible magic weapons, armour, items, and trinkets, usable in any 5E setting!
Presented in two volumes, the Encyclopaedia of Incredible Artefacts is designed to be a tome of legendary magical items for use in any 5E fantasy setting. These items are created so as to be befitting of a campaign’s ‘big bad’ or a fitting reward for the most deserving of heroes. Rather than simply providing a table of stats and rules, these books provide a rich and detailed look into the heritage, background, and journey of these items. Each item is presented alongside beautifully crafted fiction telling that item’s journey through time. Though each of these stories take their own twists and turns, each is designed to inspire Dungeon Masters/Game Masters to find ways in which to include these incredible artefacts in their games. Need a valuable treasure for your party to stumble over? Take your pick. Need a cursed blade for the campaign’s big threat to wield? The following pages have you covered. Want something that gives high risk for high reward? Pick something that poses the risk of possession and see how the character handles the presence of a dark entity! Whatever you need, the Encyclopaedia of Incredible Artefacts seeks to inspire!
Now that you’ve read the proposed OGL 1.2, what concerns or questions come to mind for you? It is not the OGL 1.0a, which provided a much better degree of freedom for creators of all types. OGL 1.0a has been promised to us as never being retractable for 23 years, and as such many have built small livelihoods from it. Those people have been forgotten, stabbed in the back, and now cannot trust the word of Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro. The revisions to the OGL unacceptable. It must remain authorised AND be clearly irrevocable going forward.
After reading the proposed OGL 1.2, how has your perception of the future of Dungeons & Dragons changed compared to before reading OGL 1.2? [x] Much worse
What would be needed to improve your perception of Dungeons & Dragons’ future? Retain OGL 1.0a and make it legally irrevocable. We want it legally bulletproof going forward. We accept that you want to make new editions of the game and protect them and the IP going forward, but this has been handled so badly that the trust has gone and there is no way forward that is going to be acceptable unless the OGL 1.0a remains. I have bought products from every edition of the game since 1985. D&D has been a huge part of my life and I LOVE creating for it. I feel like a faifthul friend has betrayed me. I can never consider supporting Hasbro/WotC/D&D brand products again.
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the content found in the SRD that will be released under Creative Commons? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
Do you have any other comments about the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International and/or the content that will be released under Creative Commons? For the most part, the proposed content released under CC is stuff that cannot be legally copyrighted under US copyright law. It seems like this is a giveaway, but we don’t access to get common races, classes, spells, creatures, items, etc, like under the OGL1.0a and asscociated SRDs (3 and 5). Given the handling of the approach so far, this isn’t really going far enough given the retraction of the OGL 1.0a. It’s seems to be a smoke and mirrors tactic.
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the Notice of Deauthorization? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
Comments: It should be removed. This is the single most problematic issue in this whole situation. Despite the dubious nature of whether this is possible legally, it’s the effect on the amazing creators that have helped support the D&D brand by keeping its name at the forefront of the industry for years. As a creator of products that have supported 5E and associated systems, I have always bought WotC D&D brand products from all editions. Once OGL 1.0a is deauthorised, there are two options; 1) Sign OGL 1.2 or 1.x. This will never happen because of the handling of the situation and the fact it is removing rights I already had. 2) Move all my creative focus away from the D&D brand.
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the types of content covered by the proposed OGL 1.2? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the content ownership rights outlined in the proposed OGL 1.2? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
Do you have any other comments about the types of content covered and/or the content ownership rights outlined by the proposed OGL 1.2? If you have the ability to change/amend/restict the license and/or the associated SRDs then nothing is really protected, and as we have seen with OGL 1.0a, you can change things in ways we really do not like.
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the “You Control Your Content” section? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the “Warranties And Disclaimers” section? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the “Modification Or Termination” section? Understanding [4] Satisfaction [1]
Do you have any other comments about the “You Control Your Content”, “Warranties And Disclaimers”, or “Modification Or Termination” sections? If you have the ability to change/amend/restict the license and/or the associated SRDs then nothing is really protected, and as we have seen with OGL 1.0a, you can change things in ways we really do not like.
How would you rate your level of understanding and your level of satisfaction with the Virtual Tabletop Policy? Understanding [3] Satisfaction [1]
Do you have any other comments about the Virtual Tabletop Policy? I’m not best placed to have much comment on this, but any OGL 1.0a restrictions would be a non-starter for me. It seems like you are allowing OGL 1.0a content to be on VTTs, but only things already published. We want to see new (post OGL 1.2 release) OGL 1.0a content on VTTs.
Have you used the OGL 1.0a or previous versions of the OGL to create third party content? Yes
Do you want to create third party content for Dungeons & Dragons in the future? Maybe (Glynn Note:) No comment field on why it’s a maybe. To clarify, Yes if OGL 1.0a remains authorised and is made legally irrevocable. No otherwise.
Would you be comfortable releasing TTRPG content under the proposed OGL 1.2 as written? No
Why do you say that? I will have no trust in Hasbro/WotC unless OGL 1.0a remains authorised and is made legally irrevocable. The new OGL1.2 is much more restrictive. Clause 6f is colossal overreach.
Compared to the OGL 1.0a, do you feel that you would be able to continue developing content the same way under the proposed OGL 1.2? No
Why do you say that? Not at all. It’s not the same agreement. OGL 1.0a was ‘open’ and encouraging to creators. OGL 1.2 is restrictive and not something I would consider to be ‘open’. I’m heartbroken about the thoughts of losing access to OGL 1.0a and asscoiated SRDs in a way that feels like a friend was giving me access and is taking it away. OGL 1.2 feels like someone I dont trust is allowing me access. That’s not the way an ‘open’ licensing agreement should feel.
How would you rate your interest in using the Content Creator Badge as part of your third party works? [3]
Do you have any other comments about Content Creator Badges? No
What other feedback do you have for us (related to the Open Games License or otherwise)? I’ve purchased D&D brand products from all editions of D&D since 1985. D&D has been a reliable best friend.
After working outside of the TTRPG industry for 30 years, anxiety forced me to leave. Creating content for D&D and freelancing for other creators became my way of paying the bills and enjoying my life again. It has been a huge part of my wellbeing.
OGL 1.0a has been the thing that has made that a viable prospect. I make enough to live and really enjoy what I do, and for that I am grateful.
Whilst there are pathways out of this situation that do not involve the OGL 1.0a, it seems like a best friend is leaving me in the lurch. I feel betrayed. I feel like the cold hard corporate world doesn’t really care about the people that have supported the brand (directly and indirectly) for YEARS!
The OGL 1.0a must remain authorised and legally irrevocable, and existing SRDs remain usable to have any attempt to salvage the trust broken by this attempt to remove it.
I hope that this is read, and that someone near the top gets to read this, because we are people with feelings, livelihoods, fears and anxieties. We aren’t just a statistic, however we are presented to you. We are D&D.
Thank you for taking this survey. Your feedback is crucial to our stewardship of the D&D game. The results of this survey will be made available by February 17, 2023.
I’ve been a little lax on the blog posts lately, as I’ve been soooo busy. Mainly with the Bats of Saint Abbans Kickstarter fulfilment, and some work on GATEpunk v0.7. I’ve even commissioned the cover artist as well as some character/race/profession artwork, as well as some playtesting and rules work/updates. It’s going well and hope that the project will be a handy A5 hardback book and some character/reference sheets. Maybe a 100-page count or something like that in the end.
Anyway, I also wanted to do some shout-outs for some projects I’ve got a hand in, or really like the look of (especially with ZineQuest in full swing). So, here we go:
The Midderlands 5E
The PDF of this is now available over on DrivThruRPG via Frog God Games. The physicals will be cominhg soon once backers get their meat 😛
I love how the 5E version looks. I believe it’s my best art, layout and cartography work to date. Even if you have the OSR version, it’s worth picking up for the new map as well as the glorious green juicyness of it all.
Cruel attacks by strange dwarves in the Ilorin wood have disturbed the peace of Withgan village. Many fearful and angry people blame their dwarven neighbors, who profess innocence but proudly prepare to defend themselves. The faithful few of Withgan explore the perilous forest, uncover its mysteries, and restore security and trust to their home. These brave adventurers are up against more than ordinary bandits, but rather an ancient and fearsome people. Fantastical creatures, powerful magic, and fabulous treasures await discovery, as well as gruesome death for the unlucky and unwary.
Andrew Sternick
This is a great DCC adventure by Andrew Sternick, which will be up at Goodman Games soon. I did some interior map artwork. If you can’t wait until then… grab it at DriveThru here:
An EVEN NEWER Tentacle and Sorcery zine for the DCC RPG #ZineQuest (we’re back)
“It’s terrifying to know that everyone you meet, and every city you visit, will or has already fallen to the Bat whether or not you realize it. Sky-Lasher the Everlasting, Trident of the Sun goes to great lengths to make sure the walls fall as it approaches, as it drinks of humanity’s riches. Pay attention, if you see these things.. The Bat is on its way.” — The Infinite Reach of the Bat God.
Sean Richer
ALREADY FUNDED! The awesome Sean is back with another installment of the wonderful Stratosfiend series. I’m thrilled to be handling layout duties.
Karth is a tiny mesa studded moon on the galaxy’s edge. The only way down is an antique space elevator to the lawless boomtown of Larstown; a place surrounded by even greater danger and strangeness in the wastes beyond. Survival or salvation is not guaranteed, partner.
Harvest ossified coral corpses to live forever. Become an involuntary organ donor. Dodge ancient orbital defenses. Explore sand blown ruins. Hunt the fearsome sandsquid. Ride camels through the dunes. Drink whisky until you’ve forgotten your own name.
Karth’s inspirations include Dune, Firefly, Alien, John Carter of Mars, Cowboy Bebop, The Dark Tower, spaghetti westerns, and modern adventures like Hot Springs Island, A Pound of Flesh, Ultraviolet Grasslands, and Slumbering Ursine Dunes.
You’ll find plenty to use for your other sci-fi RPG of choice like Stars Without Number, Traveler, or Starfinder with a touch of back alley stat surgery.
Joel Hines
ALREADY FUNDED! Joel Hines is making a wonderful setting for Mothership. Check it out here. I’ve worked on some maps for this project and cannot wait to see it in the flesh!
A cyberpunk roleplaying game of corporate violence, artificial intelligence and vampirism. Welcome to 2119.
Towards the end of the 21st century, the third world war, which became known as the Resource War, pushed mankind to the brink of destruction and brought ruin to the Earth’s atmosphere. Small pockets of humanity survived this horrific conflict, eventually forming the eleven metropolises. Initially, these incredible urban constructs were able to grow and prosper through advancements in atmospheric processing and technological innovation, but now cut off from each other, the eleven metropolises must each face their own difficulties and hardships. The Gaia Complex focuses on the largest of these locations; New Europe, a single sprawling city that covers much of what we currently know as mainland Europe. New Europe is a world of street violence, corporate espionage, vampiric uprisings and an overzealous A.I., known as Gaia, which functions as the city’s governor and the protector of its citizens.
This is a game of conspiracy and brutality, where players take on the roles of Mercs; former police officers, hackers and street-savvy dealers who are hired to fight back against the system and ultimately unravel the secrets of The Gaia Complex.
Chris Shepperson
ALREADY FUNDED! Chris has made what looks like a stunning product here, the art is sumptuous. Check it out here. I’ve worked on some maps for this project too. Cannot wait!
Nagara is old, the city is dying, and you are the only one who can ward off the Doom.
City of Flesh is a tarot-based roleplay game where you play one of the Midwives, a person imbued with primordial energy, tasked with staving off the end of the world as you know it. Together with your fellow players and GM, you create the city of Nagara and its unique locations using a tarot deck. Each session your characters inch ever closer to a Doom they’re working tirelessly to prevent, but must inevitably face as the chronicle ends.
The game has the dark horror feeling of a dungeon crawl, while focusing on mechanics that drive in-game drama and push personal stories. You’ll get embroiled in the various wars raging between guilds in the city and try to secure a bit of personal peace, before all your efforts crumble around you. You’ll strive to survive in a city that is literally trying to eat you, and siphon off its power to keep the ones you love safe.
City of Flesh takes inspiration from grimdark fantasy combining it with a feminine aesthetic to create an immersive gore-splattered roleplay experience where you delve into the dreams of a sleeping colossus and tear through fleshy reality to make your own fate.
Steffie & Liz
Im not involved in this project, but have worked with Liz on a couple of projects in the past and Angry Hamster Publishing is on my ‘must buy’ list.
Lady Ingrade cared for her land and the people who tended to it. But there was always darkness about her. She would provide comfort to a grieving mother one moment and then in the next, demand a farmer be given lashes for having too many rocks on his field.
As she grew older her perceptions of the world darkened to paranoia. Lady Ingrade obsessed about the adventurers that rode across the countryside unhindered. Grave robbers, all of them. That’s when the crypt construction began.
Lady Ingrade feared a filthy group of adventurers would violate her in death. She compulsively built crypts to lure in tomb raiders and dispatch them with deadly traps and creatures.
Upon her death, the wealth she accumulated was not found. Presumed to be dispersed throughout her many crypts or hidden within her true, final resting place. No one is sure what’s within the crypts. Those that enter, do not return.
Tim Shorts
I’m not involved in this project, but I love Tim 😛
Every year I think, “I’ll just not get any time to submit to the One Page Dungeon Contest this year.” And every year, by the skin of my teeth, I somehow manage to make a panic-submission with a couple of days to spare.
It’s a great contest for all abilities and if you haven’t entered this year, you should consider it next year.
Deadline is this Wednesday 15th June at 24:00hrs UK time.
INTRODUCTION: Uncovered by the harsh desert winds, a giant porcine form of gold emerges from its silica slumber. As the wind whips stinging sand into your eyes, you know it’s the only shade you have seen for miles. Whilst searching for the Pyramid of Dimhotep the Stupid [or chasing another desert legend], the PCs stumble upon the giant automated golden pig constructed millennia ago. Created as an elaborate ruse, the golden pig is an automaton intended to lure an enemy king into allowing a ‘gift from the gods’—in the form of a revered animal—into their city. Little would they know that it was controlled from inside by an elite unit of fighting men, who would escape from its confines once inside the city, and slay its king. The golden pig never got that far. Halfway across the desert expanse separating the warring kings—a victim of its colossal weight—the golden pig became stuck up to its belly in the unstable sands. The limbs became unmovable, the access hatch in its belly inescapable, and the rear hatch stuck fast as the heat expanded its metal mechanism. The elite force inside were cooked alive. As quick as the automaton became stuck, the shifting sands buried it from view, hidden for millennia, until now.
We are back! The webstore has been closed since the end of February and we’ve missed three whole months of not being able to send you awesome roleplaying goodies whilst the whole world has been dealing with the virus pandemic.
We hope that you and your families have kept safe and well and that things will be improving soon, if not already starting to do so.
We’ve not been idle during this time, and managed to get some new projects on the store and some imminently arriving. So without further ado, come and stop by and look at all the pretty-shinies.
An Important Covid-19 Update about Shipping!In order to protect the health & safety of our staff and reduce trips to the Post Office, we will be shipping orders once per week (on Tuesdays) for the foreseeable future. We still aim to ship large orders (such as bundles) the following day. Also, whilst we want to get goods and parcels to you as soon as possible, please expect delays in the shipping services of the UK and other countries.
Richard Marpole’s teetering exploration of the Abbey-Cathedral of Saint Abbans. The abbess has a bat problem and needs competent people to head up into the lofty heights of the cathedral to sort it.
An adventure for Levels 1-3 for Swords & Wizardry and other OSR-style games. Compatible with The Midderlands setting.
This title will only be available from DriveThruRPG in both softcover print and PDF formats.
Midderzine Issue #5
More The Midderlandsgoodness!. This fifth issue contains details of the town of Abbots Bream, more Slightly Less Shit tables, March Woodkin, Legendary turnips, and more.
This title will be available in:
PDF format on DriveThruRPG
Softcover print and PDF format on the MonkeyBlood webstore
Folk Magic of the Haven Isles
Richard Marpole delights us yet again with a British folklore-based supplement for flavourful Magic-Users. Suitable for Swords & Wizardry and other OSR-style games. Designed to compliment The Midderlands setting. It provides ‘overlays’ for the Magic-User class, giving your Magic-Users a unique flavour and opportunity to stand out from the rest.
This title will only be available from DriveThruRPG in both softcover print and PDF formats.
With the support and industry pedigree of Necromancer Games and Frog God Games, we are proud to announce that the highly successful and Gold ENnie Award-winning setting is coming to Fifth Edition with a brand-new Kickstarter being run by legendary Necromancer Games.
With some updated and new art, updated maps and new layout by Glynn Seal, and a larger US Letter-size format, this book promises to be one for your collection.
Join us in the excitement that is… The Midderlands 5E
I woke up today thinking about my time playing Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach (DDO). I played the shit out of that game. My real-life friends were online playing and I played with lots of great folks on the European servers.
Siis, Wandy, Mystle, Sorcey, MetaWiz, Doub, Eme, Tarnis… the list goes on. Good times.
I like Eberron as a setting and loved the Warforged class to make Sorcerors. I almost always created female characters… not sure why. If anyone played on the European servers (Aureon, then merged to Keeper, and later merged to US servers as well iirc).
I used the following characters in The Argonaults and The Muppets guilds:
Adliandantus Enariol (Wizard)
Jyenna DeBastion (Fighter, Two-handed)
Tallya DeBastion (Paladin)
Kallis ‘Chosen of Tymora’ (Cleric)
Natiana Longthorn (Ranger/Fighter thingy)
Kyessa DeBastion (Ranger)
Pilchard Halibut III (Warforged Sorceror)
Rhuin Ravenhammer (???)
Pentagon Spiderwell??? (Barbarian)
Tessya Debastion (Bard)
I also remember that over that year or so I became a recluse. I didn’t answer the door because I was on a Raid, or in a quest. Looking back, for all the fun I had, I also withdrew a little. It was an escape from a stressful day job though, as while I was doing that, I wasn’t stressing about upcoming meetings or rescuing troublesome projects.
Roleplaying at the table, via VTT, or virtually in-game, it’s a great escapism.
I used to be able to work out Thac0. In my head. Without using fingers or thinking out loud.
Did you ever have another player that thought it was a competition to work it out for you and say it first…? Maybe you still have that player… What a cock-womble.
Anyway, when I was at school, you never mentioned that you played D&D and its ilk. It was an invite to get the shit kicked out of you and be tormented relentlessly for your remaining school years.
Things have changed. It’s cool to be a geek or a nerd, and for that I am thankful. So thankful, that I made a t-shirt to remember the torment suffered by us all during those early years.
Wear it with pride, pioneer. You’ve damned-well earned that right to be a hero, and fought the battles that allowed these whipper-snappers to play ridicule-free.
An old school adventure set in a damp version of the north of England (Havenland) near the Scottish (Scrottish) border. The Romans (Gomans) left their mark on the landscape in more ways than one. Of course, this adventure is compatible with The Midderlands settings, and Swords & Wizardry or other retroclone rules.
Players Introduction
The adventure takes place in the north of Havenland, near to the Scrottish borders by the Kelderwater lake (see Hex M09 of The Haven Isles map).
Ebeneezer Garbett, a local farmer from the mushroom-filled valley village of Otterdale, returned to the hamlet with tales of riches he had found. Now, no-one has seen him since, and he villagers are becoming ill with a strange fungal infection.
Game Master’s Information
A farmer from the small village of Otterdale has discovered the ruins of an ancient Goman fortification. Half-buried in a hillside, it has been revealed by recent torrential rains.
Taking the gold he discovered there back to the village, the farmer is unaware that he has disturbed a dormant fungal creature known as the Mullach Dubh – a mould that grows on the dead, absorbing their memories and re-animating their bodies into a terrible half-life.
Unaware of this, the farmer — Ebeneezer Garbett — returned to his farmstead and succumbed to the toxic spores that he had breathed in. However, his stories had already drawn treasure seekers to the area in search of Goman riches. These adventurers, the Eagle’s Talon Adventuring Company, disappeared into the fortress and were likewise subsumed into the fungal colony.
People in Otterdale who had contact with Ebeneezer have begun to succumb to the spores, growing sick and then returning from death as grim parodies of their former selves. Meanwhile, the controlling colony seeks to use these new ‘workers’ to rebuild the glories of the long-gone Goman Empire.
This adventure is intended for low level play and can be scaled up or down accordingly. It should work best with 4× Level 1-4 player characters.
48-pages, die-drop chart to rear. You can check out the quick flip-through here:
Check out the briefest glimpse of one of the battlemaps I did for the set at 12:07 (underside) and 12:11 (he’s looking at it). It is part of a round tower. That’s one quarter of the four pieces that connect together to make that battlemap).
Check the box out for yourself – https://www.beadleandgrimms.com/.
Expensive as a single purchase, but for a combined gaming group purchase I bet it will give you enough fodder for a year of sessions.
