Tag Archives: OSR

The Ruined Tower

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Location #3 on the map of the Village of Cross Tree is the ruined tower.

The Ruined Tower. Created with Campaign Cartographer Dungeons of Schley symbol set.

A trail in the northeast corner of the village winds through the woods. Atop a short climb, the remnants of a tower can be seen. Having once stood 50 or 60 feet in height, the upper levels have collapsed over time. The second floor of the structure appears to be somewhat intact, though a large gap can be seen in the wall.

Rubble is strewn about the base of the tower and more can be seen littered out into the forest. Ahead, a wisp of smoke escapes from between two double doors that rest slightly ajar.

The Village of Cross Tree.

The tower itself predates the town of Cross Tree by over 100 years and none of the locals, aside from possible Nicodemus (see below), have any recollection of who built it. Characters with any type of architectural knowledge will easily be able to identify that this structure is from another time.

In my own game, the tower represents one of the last standing traces of a previous civilization. Deep within the outlying forest, there are cave entrances that lead into still accessible areas of this ancient settlement. Swallowed up by the earth itself, a lost city waits to be rediscovered. I will explore some of these locations once the rest of Cross Tree has been covered.

If this doesn’t work for your game, the tower could have an entirely different background. The idea here is to simply give you some interesting locations for your players to visit, without you having to do a lot of work.

PCs exploring the area around the tower will find all manner of debris. Some of this is from the collapse of the upper floors of the tower. The rest consists of odds and ends brought here by the tower’s sole inhabitant.

Unless the party is purposely attempting to be stealthy, the double doors to the tower will swing open enough for a frail figure to emerge.

Nicodemus

With a soft creak, the tower’s doors swing open and a frail old man appears. Fairly tall, though stooped a bit, he walks with the help of an oak staff. His tawny skin appears leathery and wrinkled, as if from years of exposure. Pulling back the hood of his stained maroon robe, his long white hair and beard make for quite a sight. 

Nicodemus. Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art @ Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games. http://www.fatgoblingames.com.

“Oh heavens! I have visitors it seems” the old fellow mutters, as his eyes dart around and size up the party. “I’ve not seen you people before. Are you lost?”

Nicodemus has lived in the ruined towed for nearly 5 years now. Prior to that he had been a frequent visitor to the area but none of the locals knew too much about him.

The general thinking of the townsfolk is that the tower is not safe for habitation and they are likely right. However, Nicodemus doesn’t interact a great deal with anyone from town. Every so often, Killian from the Cross Tree Inn (location #1) will try to persuade Nicodemus to take up residence at the inn but up to this point these attempts have failed.

Play Nicodemus as a bit mad and a bit mysterious. He exists here as a device for you to feed information or plot hooks to your players. Outside of possibly Leagis (from area #2, the Church) Nicodemus is the only resident who you could really call “worldly”.

He knows a great deal about a great many things but should always be a bit cagey about what he reveals and how he reveals it. Whether Nicodemus actually has any magical abilities is largely up to the GM. Here are some possible angles for Nicodemus, to allow him to fit seamlessly into different styles of games.

  • Perhaps you make him a great mage, having him be the wise mentor who knew the party was fated to show up on his doorstep.
  • He could be a part-crazed soothsayer who constantly mutters to himself, while reading tea-leaves and tossing chicken bones to foretell the future. Whether charlatan or gifted fortune teller will be up to the party to decide.
  • Nicodemus could be an arcane dealer of sorts, prepared to sell different potions, charms, or wards to the party.
  • Possibly he plumbed the depths of a lost city in his prime, only to be left behind by his comrades. Having spent years as the prisoner of some unnamed horror, he is now quite mad.

Regardless of which route you take Nicodemus is a good-natured sort. He will size up the party and if he believes they have good intentions, he will try to help them. That’s not to say that he will necessarily be forthcoming with his help or information. It’s certainly possible that he may speak in riddles or test the PCs in order to ascertain their intentions.

1st Floor

If the party is friendly from the offset, it is likely that Nicodemus will invite the party inside. The double doors open to a chaotic scene and the heavy scent of smoke and incense.

All manner of junk is piled up within the 1st floor of the tower and the old man has a campfire burning away, near a breach in the wall. Any characters with reasonably high skills of perception are likely to notice a mouse (or other small mammal) skittering for cover as the party enters the room.

Despite the clutter and debris, Nicodemus seems to know his way around the mess and is always able to deftly find what he is looking for amongst the rubble, crates, and boxes.

There are drawings and what appear to be maps scrawled with charcoal on the walls. What they depict and whether Nicodemus will discuss them is largely up to the GM. Two desks are arranged on either side of the room. While they are cluttered, it does appear that they have been painstakingly laid out, allowing Nicodemus to focus on his studies. A spiral staircase leads up to the 2nd floor.

2nd Floor

Every bit as cluttered as the first floor, the walls of this section of the tower has been breached to the northeast and southwest. This allows the weather in, along with the occasional bird or bat.

Arriving from the first floor, it will be immediately evident that the stairway going up to the higher reaches of the tower is completely blocked with rubble. Rubble is strewn about on the creaky wooden floor and PCs who are invited up to this level of the tower should be made to feel that the floor could cave in at any time.

Plot Hooks & Encounters

A lot of what Nicodemus has to offer is going to depend on your game, the level of magic in your world, and what role you need him to play within your campaign.

  • Other townsfolk might direct the party to Nicodemus in order to identify some item they have found or to seek answers about some quest that they are on.
  • As with Karia from the Cross Tree Inn, Nicodemus may charge a young party with venturing out into the woods to secure certain components for him.
  • Perhaps he knows of some impending trouble threatening the area and identifies the party as being just the right group to tackle it.
  • Seeing a yearning for adventure in the party, Nicodemus might share with the party what he know about a lost city, deep within the forest.

Closing Notes

That will do it for this week’s entry from the town of Cross Tree. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by. If there is anything you would like to see added to the village or you require any tweaks to the maps, let me know in the comments. Until my next post, I hope you have great adventures and a great week!

For more on the Village of Cross Tree, go here.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

The Church of Cross Tree

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Location #2 on the map of the Village of Cross Tree is the church.

The Church of Cross Tree. Created with Campaign Cartographer Dungeons of Schley symbol set.

This 2-story oak structure is clearly a church. Modest in size and design, this building appears to have been built more recently than most of the other dwellings in town.

To the left of the building, a waist-high hedge neatly frames a small graveyard. The plots and grave markers seem to be well tended. There is a general feeling of peace about the place and the pleasant scent of incense is in the air.

The church of Cross Tree burned to the ground under mysterious circumstances roughly 15 years ago. At the time, it was a largely unused structure, as it had been quite some time since the settlement had been home to any members of the clergy. The site sat vacant for nearly 5 years, until its current inhabitant came to town.

The Village of Cross Tree. Created with Campaign cartographer Cities of Schley symbol set.

Leagis Kormou

Leagis Kormou is a 42-year-old human woman. She has olive skin and long, white hair that trails down nearly to her waist. While she has a stern brow and piercing green eyes, there is a sense of peace about the woman that is disarming to guests.

Leagis Kormou. Art by: Daniel Comerci – danielcomerci.com.

It will immediately be clear to PCs that Leagis is not originally from this area. In my game she hails from a chain of islands far to the south, though select her place of origin based on what works for your campaign setting. Leagis is a priestess of a nature deity. If your world lacks a divine being who happens to be focused on nature, any good-aligned god or goddess should suffice.

The cleric spent her youth traveling the world, possibly even clocking in some time as an adventurer. As the years passed, she found herself more focused on her religion and wanting to settle down. Cross Tree provided a logical place to put down roots. Nestled deep withing the forest, Leagis can commune with nature while also sharing her faith with her modest flock.

Arriving in town roughly 10 years ago, Leagis began restoring the old burned church structure on her own. As the days passed, other townsfolk would come to lend a hand. Often they would work together by day and then take part in her fellowship and break bread together in the evening. Some of the materials for the new church were brought from the ruined tower to the northeast of town.

Whether Leagis possesses any magical abilities from her deity will be left to the GM’s discretion. It is certainly possible that she may have the ability to casts lower level spells. However, I would suggest drawing the line at allowing her to have the power to raise the dead or even heal very serious afflictions.

The priestess is very welcoming to outsiders and will certainly be curious about their travels. Having travelled extensively herself, Leagis may be able to share information with the party about areas far from Cross Tree.

1st Floor

The nave and sanctuary take up most of the 1st floor of the church. Both are decorated simply, in woodland colors. Both the pews and altar are fashioned from downed oaks found in the forest.

Close to the entrance are two storage closets. Tools are kept here for tending the graveyard, as well as decorations for different festivals throughout the year. Leagis also keeps a small office on the first floor.

2nd Floor

The 2nd floor of the church consists of Leagis’s residence. While not generally accessible to the public, she may invite the PCs up here for counsel or to discuss future plans.

Plot Hooks & Encounters

As previously mentioned, Leagis has travelled extensively. She should provide you a good tool for disseminating information to your PCs. It is also possible that she may have use for their help herself.

  • Parties stopping in Cross Tree along the way to somewhere else, may be provided information about their destination.
  • As a priestess of a nature deity, Leagis may enlist the help of the party to investigate some strange goings-on within the forest. Perhaps some strange malady is affecting local wildlife or a queer blight is killing off vegetation.
  • Leagis recently buried a traveler who died while staying at the Cross Tree Inn. The man’s only personal effects were a strange metallic device and a map to a location that would take two days to travel to from here. The cleric may enlist the party’s help in learning more about the map and the device.
  • From her traveling days, Leagis may be aware that there is rumored to be an ancient lost city hidden away within the depths of the forest.

Conclusion

That will conclude another post about the town of Cross Tree. Until I write again, I thank you for reading and hope that you may find yourself enjoying a game soon. Cheers

For more on the Village of Cross Tree, go here.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

The Cross Tree Inn

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Location #1 in the Village of Cross Tree is the Cross Tree Inn.

The smell of roasted meat emanates from this inviting two-story wooden building. Facing the structure, a pair of worn double-doors welcome weary travelers on the right. To the left, a low wall partitions off a courtyard, where barrels of ale are stored, and a couple chickens run about aimlessly.

A sign bearing the name “Cross Tree Inn” hangs above the entrance. The sign itself depicts a curious scene of ghostly figures circled around a large oak tree. The inn is both the geographical and social center of the village. Especially during the evening, it is likely some of the other residents will be found in the common room, enjoying a meal or tankard of ale.

The Cross Tree Inn. Created using Campaign Cartographer “Dungeons of Schley” symbol set.

Killian Merric

Killian Merric. Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art @ Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games. http://www.fatgoblingames.com.

The proprietor is a stout man named Killian Merric. At 50 years of age, Killian was raised in a large city but relocated to Cross Tree and inherited the Inn from his uncle Tobyn. That was 20 years ago and Killian has been running the place ever since.

Killian stands 6’2” tall and weighs roughly 280lbs. His dark hair, beard, and bushy eyebrows. are starting to give way to a good deal of gray. The large man dresses simply, wearing cotton breeches and a plain tunic, On most days he’ll also be wearing an apron, adorned with splashes and dashes of whatever happens to be on the menu that day.

Nearly always sporting a grin, the innkeeper is nothing if not hospitable. Killian will greet guests warmly and take an interest in their adventures. He knows a fair bit about the local area and is generally willing to share information with travelers, if he feels that they have good intentions. For information he may lack, Killian is certainly well acquainted with the citizens of Cross Tree and able to suggest someone else who may be able to help.

The innkeeper loves a good tune. Any customer who happens to break out in song or play an instrument while visiting the inn is likely to be rewarded with a complimentary meal. If it’s particularly good, it wouldn’t be unheard of for Killian to take off his apron and dance a little jig in the middle of the dining room.

Despite being a fairly large fellow, Killian has no practical combat experience.

Killian keeps a simple room for himself at the inn. While he has had various employees over the years, his niece Karia is currently his only employee.

Karia Merric

Karia Merric.
Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art @ Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games. http://www.fatgoblingames.com

Karia Merric is a young woman of 25. After the passing of her mother, two years ago, she relocated to Cross Tree and has been helping her uncle Killian manage the inn. A no-nonsense woman, Karia usually keeps her blonde hair pulled back and wears simple, woolen dresses.

While she adores her uncle, Karia was also interested in relocated to Cross Tree due to it being nestled in the wilderness. She has been studying herbalism for a number of years and her move has allowed her to pursue this passion. When not serving drinks or helping out at the inn, Karia spends her time collecting specimens in the forest and furthering her studies.

Like her uncle, Karia is quite friendly. However, her mind is often occupied, thinking about different tinctures and ointments. She may not be outwardly chatty, though if any travelers come by with obvious wounds or ailments, she will immediately offer to help. Depending on the rules system you are using, I would allow Karia to at least provide some basic healing to injured party members.

If any travelers happen to come through town and mention having a background in herbalism or another similar skill, Karia will be fascinated and try to gain as much knowledge from them as possible.

Cross Tree Inn 2nd level.

Food, Drink, & Lodging

You can assume that pricing for food, drink, and lodging will run on the lower end of what is typical in your game system. Killian is a wonderful cook and accommodating host but this is a modest operation. Highlights of the inn’s menu include flapjacks with locally made maple syrup, a fabulous “restoring” stew, and roasted potato wedges.

Killian has 4 modest rooms for rent. Three of these have a single bed, while one has two. However, a simple sleeping cot can be added to any of the single rooms if it becomes necessary to house more guests. While he wouldn’t rent out his own 2nd floor room, on occasion Killian will allow cots in the common areas upstairs, to accommodate extra guests. Obviously, this would be offered at a reduced rate.

Location of the Cross Tree Inn within the Village of Cross Tree.

Legend of the Cross Tree

As the Cross Tree Inn is the first stop for weary travelers, Killian will often be asked about the name of the town. On such occasions, he will be more than happy to pull up a chair and share the tale.

“Perhaps you saw the old Cross Tree as you made your way into town. Just west of here, across from the church stands an ancient oak tree, with a cross burned into the side of its trunk.”

“Many, many years ago, long before this wee village was founded, another settlement existed here. There are still traces that can easily be seen. Just northeast, tucked back in the woods, stands a ruined tower. Old Nicodemus dwells there now, though the gods know that Karia and I try to get him to come stay with us. There are bits of some other structures still standing out in the woods if you explore a bit, then there is the Cross Tree itself.”

“The legend tells that those who lived here before were a superstitious lot. For reasons lost to time, they believed that some of their number were practitioners of dark magics. They deemed these poor folk to be witches and doomed them to a horrible fate. The accused were tied to the great oak, with arms outstretched and burned alive. The cross you see burned into the tree is said to be the result of many such executions.”

“Now, I don’t want to be putting a scare in you good folks. However, many around here claim that the poor souls who lost their lives like this still roam these parts at night. Oh, I know that ghost tales like these are often the fare of simple country folk. Just don’t let it be said that I didn’t warn you, if you hear something go bump in the night.”

Whether there is anything to this legend or whether it is a simple folktale is up to you. Go with what works for your game. However, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to drop in little bits to keep your players on edge. The inn is an old building, so there will certainly be strange creaks from the floorboards or the occasional cold draft.

Plot Hooks & Encounters

If you already have plans for future adventures, it should be easy enough to drop in any plot hooks while the PCs are visiting the Cross Tree Inn. There is a message board in the common room and Killian, Karia, or any of the other townsfolk could be used to reach out to the party and ask for their assistance.

Left to their own, both Killian & Karia have a few tasks that they might approach a party of travelers for help with.

  • Killian might offer the party a fair price to go on a hunt for a day and try to bring back a stag or wild boar.
  • Karia might hire the party to help her locate certain herbs or mushrooms, only available in the deepest part of the forest.
  • It’s rare that the innkeeper has the ability to make the trip to a city. If Killian gets to know the party well or they stop at the inn frequently, he may hire them to bring back certain spices or ingredients.

Conclusion

That concludes my first entry for the Village of Cross Tree. Coming up next week we’ll pay a visit to the church. Due to the number of maps, I’ve opted to include the color versions with all labels and grids. As always, if you find something that would be useful for your own game but you’d like the labels removed (or changed) or might prefer a black and white version for more of an old-school feel, just leave me a message in the comments and I’ll hook you up.

That’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

For more on the Village of Cross Tree, go here.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

The Village of Cross Tree

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The village of Cross Tree lies deep within the Carrowmar forest, not far from the Khared Draz mountains. Settled along the banks of Pine Creek, this hamlet is a blend of the old and new, where ancient ruins still hold secrets of a bygone era.

The Village of Cross Tree. Created using Campaign Cartographer SS5 Cities of Schley Style.

On their approach to the village, keen-eyed travelers may notice the remnants of a once-greater settlement, long since reclaimed by nature. Even within the settlement itself, a ruined tower stands as a reminder of the past.

Cross Tree was once a bustling destination for travelers. However, modern routes through the mountain passes have caused the number of visitors to dwindle. Few pass through the village these days, save for the occasional hunter, trapper, or eccentric adventurer.

Reduced at one point to nothing more than a roadside stop for weary travelers, the village has come into its own over the past 30 years. It’s now a quiet, self-sufficient community inhabited with an assortment of colorful characters. Nestled in this wild landscape, Cross Tree makes a perfect locale for striking out in search of adventure

Village with no labels or grid.

Setting the Stage

For the first time in the past few years, I don’t have a regular gaming group. I’ve decided to take the time that I would have spent prepping for weekly sessions and instead pour it into creating something to share.

The Village of Cross Tree is going to be the first step in this process. Every adventure needs a place to start and I’ve created the village with that in mind. Cross Tree is more than just a spot on a map—it’s a living, breathing place where a community has taken root and grown. My intention is for this to be somewhere for stories to unfold and characters to develop for their first few adventures.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll delve into the heart of Cross Tree, sharing details about the key locations and the unique inhabitants that give this village its charm. I will aim to provide just enough detail to allow GMs to easily paint a picture of the village, while also leaving plenty of room for customization. Moving on from that, I’ll expand to some encounters and possibly even full adventures that each have their start from the Village of Cross Tree.

I’ll be basing things loosely on the old Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia from 1991. This single hardcover book consolidated rules from the Basic, Expert, Companion, and Master boxed sets. I will note that despite utilizing the Rules Cyclopedia, I’m not an OSR purist by any means. I will deviate from RAW liberally, both in creating new creatures and in mechanics for encounters. That said, everything should be easy enough to convert to pretty much any system of your choice. If you’re the type of person who is reading TTRPG blogs, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble.

While Cross Tree is a location in my own campaign world, I’ve tried to create it generically enough that GMs could fit it into just about any published or homegrown setting. For instance, if you happened to be running a game in Mystara, the village should fit nicely within the Grand Duchy of Karameikos (probably somewhere north of Kelvin). The main features for the location that will be required would be a wooded region, relatively close to mountains, and more than a single day’s travel from any settlements to the east or west.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Thanks for taking the time to visit and I hope you have a great weekend!

I’ve already started adding to the Village of Cross Tree. If you’d like to see more, go here.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

Tossed in a B&W version for a bit of the old school vibe.

What Was Your Gateway to Adventure

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This was an old TSR Hobbies catalog. I can’t recall whether this came packaged in my Holmes Basic set or in the later Moldvay set.

1977 had been a big year already, with the release of Star Wars during the past spring. The summer had been spent running around the neighborhood, shooting imaginary Storm Troopers, and debating the fate of Darth Vader.

It was around Thanksgiving when I became aware of a new animated TV Special. The Hobbit was coming to television. Now, for those of you much younger than I, you must understand that the late 70s were a much different time. We had cartoons every Saturday morning, without fail. However, aside from the annual Charlie Brown specials and perhaps Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, animated specials were almost unheard of. If you are too young to have lived through this, it’s hard to describe just how odd this was to see on network tv.

Rumors had spread through my school like wildfire. The Hobbit was something totally different. Not only was this a new animated special, but it was a story of wizards, dwarves, elves, and even a dragon! Truly, this was something not to be missed.

I don’t recall what I did wrong. Perhaps I had knocked the gravy over and into my Aunt’s lap during Thanksgiving dinner. At any rate, as luck would have it, I found myself quite grounded for the world television premier of The Hobbit.  It was devastating. I was certain that quite possibly; nothing good could come of my life from that day forward. You see, in 1977, there was no streaming, no DVRs (or VCRs for that matter). As a matter of fact, there was a great likelihood that if you missed a show on TV or even a movie in the theater, that you may never have an opportunity to see it again.

During the following week, I was forced to listen to my young friends tells stories about The Hobbit.  They would go on and on about the goblins, the spiders, and even some strange thing that they referred to as “Gollum”.  I was devastated. Within the span of one year, I had been told that I was too young to have a poster of Farrah Fawcett and now I had missed The Hobbit.

This was the cover to my first version of The Hobbit in the late 1970s.

During the fall of 1978. I came home from school one day to find a paperback book lying on my bed. It was The Hobbit; my parents had purchased me a copy of the novel. While it was certainly quite a bit larger than any book I had read thus far, I was intrigued by the maps and “strange writing” which I found just inside the front cover. I set about reading it right away.

I was hooked immediately. Shortly after finishing The Hobbit, I moved on to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. By the time that these were all finished I was a fantasy junkie, devouring any new novels that I could land my hands on. As I recall, the next up were the Lancer/Ace Conan series with the striking Frank Frazetta covers.

It was some time after that when I heard a couple of my friends talking about some new game. They had been playing this game, with the older kids who lived on the next road over. The details were sketchy but apparently there were hobbits and goblins in it and it was different from any of type of game.

The Holmes Basic D&D boxed set.

The whole thing was terribly confusing and made no sense to me at all. When I asked them about the board, they said there was no board. When I asked if there were cards, they said there were no cards. I was a skeptic, to say the least. Certainly, if a game like this existed, it would have to be listed within the pages of the J.C. Penney Christmas catalog (everything worth having as a child was.) It was not.

Then, one day, my friend and I happened to accompany my mother on a trip to Scrantom’s (a local card & stationary store in Rochester, NY). As we were checking out, I saw a curious looking box, sitting behind the counter. The box was adorned with a picture of a large dragon, sitting on a huge pile of treasure. The words “Dungeons & Dragons” were printed across the top of the box. A look to my buddy confirmed that this was the game he’d been trying to tell me about.

I received that very box for my birthday (this was the Holmes edition Dungeons & Dragons Basic set.) Like a blind man who has never seen, I immediately understood about games without boards. Suddenly, I had the ability to do more than just read fantasy stories; I could create them and watch them unfold before my eyes. The years to follow were filled with all kinds of great gaming memories.

Conclusion

That was how I was introduced to the hobby. However, sticking true to the title of this post, I’m curious about you. What was your gateway to adventure? When were you first exposed to the hobby and what was your first game? I’ve always loved hearing these type of origin stories and I find it fascinating to read about. Drop a comment below and let me know.

That’s all for now. Have a great week and thank you for stopping by. Good gaming!

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

Vintage Ads From Dragon Magazine #83

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This week I’m back with some more vintage ads from the pages of Dragon magazine. This week I’m looking at issue #83, from March of 1984 and featuring cover art by Denis Beauvais.

As I’ve previously mentioned, unless you happened to live in close proximity to a local gaming store, it was likely that you would have never been exposed to many of these products. However, by 1984 Dragon Magazine could readily be found on the shelves of Waldenbooks or B. Dalton locations in almost any suburban mall. This helped to spread the word of diverse offerings in the TTRPG market to more casual fans.

Atlantean War Mastodon

Kicking things off is this striking mini from Ral Partha Enterprises. Ral Partha was a prominent manufacturer of miniatures for TTRPGS and wargames at the time.  This ad showcases the company’s new additions to their range of fantasy miniatures.

It’s not really clear whether the Atlantean War Mastodon was intended for TTRPGs or fantasy wargaming, though I suppose it may have found a home with either. I’ve always been fascinated with the whole wargaming scene but I’ve never had the time (or money) to take a deep dive into the hobby. I will say that back during this time period, it was common to see all manner of miniature wargames represented even at local gaming conventions.

The miniatures of the time were typically made of metal (often lead or a lead alloy) and were sculpted at a scale compatible with most RPGs (often 25mm, as specified in the ad).

Witch Hunt

Next up we have an ad for an RPG titled Witch Hunt, which supposedly allowed players to take on the role of either magistrates or witches (presumably with access to real magic) during the Salem Witch Trials.

I have no recollection of this game or the publisher StatCom Simulations Inc. However, I found some interesting information about it over at Wayne’s Books. If you’re not familiar with his site, it’s worth a look, especially if you like peeking back at some of these old titles.

The main reason I chose to include this ad in particular was to point out what a diverse selection of games were being churned out in the 1980s. There’s just something magical to me when I think about all of these people (at a time when very few people even owned a home computer) creating these games and throwing their hats into the ring.

Villains & Vigilantes  

Of the ads I’ve selected for this post, Villains & Vigilantes probably saw the most mainstream success. It was also the only one of these products that I happened to own at the time. Designed by Jack Herman and Jeff Dee and published by Fantasy Games Unlimited, V&V was one of the earliest TTRPGS to tap into the superhero genre.

As you might expect, the game prompted characters to create their own heroes to adventure with, using easily recognizable powers. The game was available as a boxed set, which included an introductory adventure, a reference screen, and dice. The game stuck around for quite a while and was supported with a number of adventure modules and at least a couple “rogues gallery”-type publications featuring colorful NPCs for use with the game.

As a teen, I was immediately drawn to the Jeff Dee art in all of the products. Jeff also provided art for a number of D&D and AD&D products during this time period.

DM’s Records

Again, just adding this one because I love the entrepreneurial spirit of it all. Here we have an ad for various “DM’s Records” for monster, spell, and party stats, as well as a time record sheet. These were almost certainly created for D&D or AD&D and churned out there, in hopes of them catching on. I love looking back and seeing stuff like this. I hope they sold a bunch.

Game Master

This period of the 1980s saw one of the first big influxes of home computing. While still not commonplace in every household, owning a computer was certainly something that was becoming popular. As you might expect, the crossover between home computer users and TTRPG hobbyists was considerable. Even a couple years prior to this I can recall sitting in a Radio Shack with my buddies and gleefully generating random d20 rolls on a TRS-80. Game Master, the product featured in this ad, was an early application for managing your D&D game.

Conclusion

That’ll do it for this week. Covid knocked me out last week, so I needed to get myself back into the saddle. Have you had any encounters with any of these products? Did reading through these bring back memories of any others? Leave me a note and let me know. Thanks for taking the time to visit. In the meantime, stay warm and good gaming!

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

Have You Ever Used a Real-World Map for Your Campaign?

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If you have visited my blog previously, it’s probably fairly obvious that I fall into the camp of those who enjoy tinkering around with maps. I spend far more time creating maps and adventures than I do actually playing. To me, it’s another part of the hobby that I find very rewarding. However, I realize that some people don’t enjoy it and others simply don’t have that kind of time to spend on prep.

For those of you who may be short on time or inspiration, one little trick we would use back in the day was to use a real-world map as a template for some or all of your campaign map. It’s a resource that’s versatile and can be adapted with minimal effort for a variety of settings.

My friend Mike used this park map for years to represent the western portion of his campaign setting.

For instance, I grew up in upstate New York and my family would frequently vacation in the Adirondack mountains. Back in the early 1980s when I first got heavily into role-playing games, there were always paper road maps lying around. These mundane maps became the campaign setting for my high school AD&D group. Oh, I made the scale larger and changed most of the names. However, it provided me would a workable map on a very limited budget. A few years later, my friend Mike used a map of Mount Desert Island in Maine for the western side of his Fantasy Hero campaign. 

These days there are quite a few resources out there, allowing people to easily craft their own maps. However, real-world maps can still be useful. The geological features in our world have been crafted by eons of history. If you are wanting to create your own map but time is precious, maps from our world can be a great place to start. Simply choose an appropriate area, trim a bit here and there, and you’ll be on your way with geography that makes sense. Using a little artistic license, it’s relatively easy to take a real-world map and sprinkle in some fantasy elements where you see fit. A mysterious forest here, an ancient ruin there, and before you know it, you have a living, breathing world that your players can explore.

Years later I recreated Mike’s campaign world in Campaign Cartographer. As you see, the western third of the map is simply Mount Desert Island.

It occurs to me that since returning to the hobby I haven’t been exposed to much other than my own games. I’m curious to hear what is common for other game masters. Do you lean toward using published campaign settings? Do you run your games in your own world and create your own maps? Alternately, do you tend to leave the overland stuff a bit more abstract and only focus on adventures and encounters?

That’s all for now. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a great week. Good gaming!

For more maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here. Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

The Port Town of Hughgrot

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The port town of Hughgrot lies along the southern coast of Archia, on the shore of the Zarhut’lm sea. A forsaken naval outpost, its abandonment became a siren call for pirates, smugglers, and a motley crew of those who preferred life in the shadows.

Made in Campaign Cartographer. I primarily used the Cities of Schley symbol set but added some other touches as necessary.
The notorious Grondo-Ri once held Hughgrot with his warband. Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. dean-spencer@live.co.uk

This coastal haven, colloquially known as “The Underbelly,” bustles with clandestine dealings. An unspoken code, rather than formal laws, governs its narrow, chaotic streets. Leaders of shadowy factions pull strings from behind the scenes, understanding that too much noise could attract the unwanted gaze of Archian authorities.

Nestled along the eastern shore, Hughgrot sprawls around the mouth of the river Alum. Weather-beaten docks stretch into the bay, bearing witness to the constant flow of contraband. A handful of warehouses are located on eastern edge of town, storing the storing various ill-gotten goods. Ramshackle structures and makeshift stalls cling to the shoreline, where dubious transactions play out on a daily basis.

Hughgrot is melting pot of architecture from different eras. Sturdy remnants from the Archian days stand beside hastily assembled buildings of questionable design. Here and there, traces of orcish construction linger-a testament to the time when the orc shaman Grondo-Ri and his warband claimed residence here.

Statue of Mareen in Hughgrot. Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.

An old church of Mareen crowns the cliffs to the north. Though lacking in followers, it stands unmolested. Superstitious as they are, seafarers offer a wary nod to the goddess of the seas.

Hughgrot’s streets echo with the tongues of many different races and cultures, each telling the tale of trade, and survival. Secrets are currency, and every shadow hides a story. Those who dare to visit are best suited to mind their own business and watch their backs.

Conclusion

This week’s map is another creation that sprang forth from my friend Mike’s Fantasy Hero campaign, back in the 1980s. I have used it regularly in my games ever since. I think a place like this fits into almost any campaign, so I figured it was time to make a proper map of it.

Do you have a seedy town in your campaign? Do your players have a place to go when they need to acquire that rare spell component or elusive bit of information?

I appreciate you taking the time to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed the holiday season and are getting some much-needed free time to spend with your hobby. Good gaming!

For more maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

Idea Chest: The Land of the Lost

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For the lack of a better name, welcome to “Idea Chest”. This is a feature I’ve considered for some time but held off on because I couldn’t settle on a proper name. As you can see, I’m still not there with the name but rather than procrastinate endlessly, I’m going to trudge on.

Old-timers will already be familiar with “Appendix N”, a section at the back of the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide (1e) (1979) listing authors and works which influenced the creation of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. As a kid I spent countless hours reading books from that list after tracking them down at my local library.

Well, with this feature I would like to showcase some other properties that have influenced my tabletop adventures over the years. Some of these are still fairly mainstream today and some have been somewhat lost to time. With each of these I will attempt to illustrate how bits and pieces may be borrowed to build rich stories and content for your games. Each installment will dive into a specific property, offering insight into its TTRPG adaptation possibilities. Hopefully, you’ll find something that sparks an idea for your games along the way.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these and please chime in if you have any suggestions of your own.

The Land of the Lost

I am going to kick things off with a property that is dear to my heart. The Land of the Lost was a children’s adventure television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. It ran for 3 seasons, starting in 1974-not to be confused with the unfortunate 2009 Will Ferrell movie of the same name. Being born in 1970, I suppose I was in the target demographic for this show and it certainly made an impression on me.

The series portrays the adventures of the Marshall family (Rick and his two children Will and Holly). After an earthquake strikes during a white-water rafting trip, the trio find themselves trapped in a prehistoric world (and likely an alternate universe). The titular Land of the Lost is inhabited by dinosaurs, other curious humanoid creatures, and occasional travelers from other places/times. Each episode revolves around the family trying to survive and find their way home.

A word of caution—this was a television show crafted in the 1970s, for children. If you explore this property expecting something binge-worthy for adults, you will likely be disappointed. While hokey and clearly showing its age, the charm lies in the nostalgia it carries. That said, I believe there are a number of elements present that are great inspiration for a fantasy ttrpg campaign. Here are just a few:

Stranded in a Strange Land: The concept of having your party find themselves stranded in a foreign place could take any number of forms. While it’s unlikely that a band of adventurers would be white-water rafting during an earthquake, they might easily walk through a magic portal, tinker with and ancient artifact, or even escape a sinking ship, only to wash up on shore of some uncharted land.  

Something like this could provide an exciting new arc for your players or even encompass the entirety of a campaign. Exploration and survival would take on a new meaning when faced with the unknown dangers and wonders of this new territory. The party would need to adapt quickly, forging alliances with local inhabitants or outsmarting hostile creatures. Scarcity of resources and the constant quest for essentials like food and shelter would add a layer of urgency, emphasizing the struggle for survival.

The Dinosaurs: Stats for dinosaurs have been common in gaming bestiaries since the 1970s. However, few published adventures take advantage of them. It certainly seems plausible that the prehistoric behemoths could still be found lumbering around parts of your fantasy world.

Sleestak leader visiting the Skull of Wisdom.

The Sleestak: The Sleestak are a reptilian humanoids in the Land of the Lost. They have scaly skin, large eyes, and a distinct hissing language. I recently borrowed these fellows and their underground lair for my Revisiting the Isle of Dread campaign. Dwelling in subterranean tunnels under a Lost City, the Sleestak made for a mysterious and ominous presence.

Sleestak wandering the jungle at night.

Goblins and kobolds are largely played out with most groups. However, Sleestak could easily fill the same role, even in an existing campaign. Their mysterious nature allows for narrative flexibility and you’re not bound to the source material. The party might encounter them as guardians of an ancient prophecy, or they could be the last remnants of a once-mighty civilization with dark secrets. File off whatever you like and use what works for your game.

The Pakuni: The Pakuni resembled early human primates who were nearly fully covered in fur. Indigenous to the Land of the Lost, the Pakuni are initially aggressive and mistrusting of the humans. However, over time, one of their group (Cha-Ka) warms up to the family and becomes a regular.  

The Pakuni visit the Marshalls.

The play here I would think would be to introduce another culture for the PCs to interact and exchange knowledge with. Fantasy cities are often very diverse, with NPCs of varying ancestries. However, how often does your party come into contact with a group that has been lost to time? Adding a group like the Pakuni would offer a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and learning within your campaign. As the party gradually earns their trust, they might uncover valuable information about the region, hidden dangers, or even ancient secrets. This interaction adds depth to your world and creates opportunities for quests, alliances, or conflicts based on how the players navigate these newfound relationships

“Grumpy” the T-Rex visits a pylon.

Unknown Technology: The pylons were one of the most captivating parts of the show for me as a child. These metallic obelisks were larger inside than out (like a TARDIS from Dr. Who). They contained stone tables bearing colored crystals that served various purposes. The exact mechanics governing the use of these crystals was never fully explained in the show, contributing to their mysterious nature. The Marshalls often experimented with different crystal combinations, leading to unexpected adventures and encounters.

Introducing unknown technology to your campaign can be a good way to keep your players on their toes and add an element of discovery. These could be magical in in nature, divine, or truly alien (as was the case with S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.) Ancient, structures similar to the pylons could be scattered across your world, waiting to be explored. These structures might house forgotten knowledge or powerful artifacts. The party could stumble upon an underground complex filled with arcane machinery, or perhaps a floating island with a dormant device. The mystery surrounding this technology offers you the flexibility of having its true nature be anything from a simple diversion to a central pillar of your campaign world.

Conclusion

It’s possible that I simply have fond memories of this property from my youth. However, I suspect I’m not the first to find some inspiration within The Land of the Lost. Hopefully you can find some use as well.

Have you ever borrowed from The Land of the Lost? Do you have any properties that are dear to your heart and often find their way into your games? Please take a minute and let me know. This is the stuff I love about gaming.

That’s all for this week. The holiday rush has taken a bite out of my writing time but I’m now free from work until the new year. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and I hope you have a great week.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

The Lost City of Wakou M’baque

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Two weeks ago, I posted a map of some ruins deep within the jungles of Gowandia. Among the crumbling stones, a spiral staircase was found, tempting adventurers to descend into the unknown.

The spiral staircase descends for hundreds of feet, in total darkness. Characters with any type of mining skill will marvel at how this could have been created. The stairs end at a 20-foot-wide tunnel running south-southwest. The air grows increasingly humid, and the distant sound of rushing water becomes a steady echo in the darkness.

The lost city of Wakou M’baque. Created with Campaign Cartographer.

The passage ends after roughly 50 feet with more stairs going down, though straight and steep this time. A faint yellowish glow beckons from the depths. Reaching the final stretch of the descent, the glow intensifies, casting an eerie light that dances on the edges of the cavern. The stairs widen, revealing a breathtaking sight—a massive cavern (visible from location #1)

Stretching over 700 feet in each direction this immense chamber is a natural wonder. A glowing chartreuse lichen adorns the vaulted ceiling. Weaving around giant stalactites, it casts an eerie yellow light over the ground, some 100 feet below.

In the heart of this colossal cavern, a forgotten city lies frozen in time. Stepping onto the widened stairs, the sight unfolds—buildings crafted from clay with flat roofs, stand like silent sentinels against the glow of the chartreuse lichen. Single and two-story dwellings line the streets, remnants of a civilization tucked away from the world above. The city’s layout reveals an intricate design, reflecting the architectural prowess of those who called this underground expanse home.

While not visible from this vantage point, two similar stairways lead up from the city. One may be found at location #2 and the other at location #3.

A roaring river bisects the city from northeast to southwest. Two bridges span the water, connecting the two halves of the metropolis. The glow of the lichen, combined with the reflections from the water creates the sensation that the center of the city is undulating. While not clearly evident, if someone were to exit the cavern following the path of the river (location $4), they would eventually come out to Maguni Falls.

At the far end of the cavern, a monumental ziggurat dominates the skyline (location #5), reaching halfway to the cavern ceiling. Its purpose, like the city itself, is veiled in the echoes of time. Beyond the ziggurat, a colossal statue of Ka-Zaa, the ancient Gowandian god of magic, surveys the subterranean realm (location #6).

The entire city, though silent and seemingly abandoned, carries an air of preserved majesty. Odd markings on some structures hint at a purpose but their meaning may be lost to time. Patches of multi-colored crystals jut out of the earth in many places. Looking down the empty streets, one is forced to wonder what this place looked like in its prime.

The air within the cavern is thick with humidity, and strange flora adds an otherworldly charm. Giant mushrooms (some as tall as a man) and patches of orangish-brown fungus litter the area. Despite a lack of any actual sunlight, towering purple ferns can be found throughout the city.

Taking in the sights from the staircase, the adventurers are poised for discovery. surrounded by the echoes of a city lost to time. The lost city of Wakou M’baque lies before them and the secrets it guards are ready to unfold.

Conclusion

Wakou M’baque has lived in my head for over 40 years, in one form or another. To me it’s always been a bit of a mash-up of Robert E. Howard tales, with a bit of the classic B4 The Lost City thrown in for good measure.

How would you use a location like this in a game? Is the city truly abandoned? Are their still people living here? Has some bizarre alien presence taken hold of the place? Let me know in the comments, as I’m always curious to see what folks will come up with.

That will do it for this week. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and I wish you the best with the week to come. Good gaming!

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.