eBay Pewter Figurines

Ivy has been cleaning out the office, when she takes a break from putting girly stuff on my blog.  I found my old pewter figurines I was collecting in the 80s, maybe early 90s.  Well I don't have room for them so I thought I's put them on eBay and see if they'd sell.  They are under the title of 11 pewter figurines and quartz rock.  The quartz rock is pretty cool, I used to pose the figurines on the rock.  So if you are a pewter person give it a look.

So I Woke Up This Morning and This Happened

I'd like to thank Ivy for attacking my blog with her girly stuff...and don't try to blame it on the dogs.  She said the name of the font is crafty girl.

Double Mail Call!

Looks like my Valentine's Day present arrived.  All three shiny Castle of the Mad Archmage books.  A mega-dungeon, a separate map book and the little guy in front is the illustration book.  I'm looking forward to kicking back and reading this one.  +Joseph Bloch seemed very excited about getting this puppy out the door so I'm intrigued.

I also got a brand new copy of Torchbearer off eBay.  It's still in the plastic wrap and the reason for the solar flare in the center of the picture.  The one I'd heard rumblings about, but not sure exactly what it is.  I'm going to use the word intrigued once again because I am.  Love a name.  To me it would be like naming a science fiction game Red Shirt.  You know you'd buy it.

Beginnings of a Character

One of the things I like to do when I start a game/campaign is to provide the players pre-gens.  Pre-gens tailor made for each person.  I ask a few questions ahead of time like what class they would like to play and personality.  Then I create the characters around what they want to play then, I take the time to construct a loose background, give them information about the world they are about to explore so they are not going in cold.  I provide them with allies, family and enemies. 

I've done this in the past and it has worked very well and the players seem to like it.  It provides a character backstory before they get started, helps them get an idea of the world, provides knowledge footholds of villages, people and businesses.  I send them their characters a few days ahead of time so they can read through and they can ask any questions.  If time allows I have in the past run them through solo sessions.

During the first night the players all should have had their characters and read through them enough to know the backstory.  I always have connections or hints at things during the session that refer to their backstory. 

Next Thursday night I'll be running a session with three, possible four players and tonight I'll be working on creating them.  I'm looking forward to actually playing it instead of writing about it. 

Convention Game Study and a Giveaway

Dylan Hartwell over at his Digital Orc blog would like to do a study for games you've experience at conventions.  He only wishes you to answer one question...

What are some of your favorite convention games in which you have played?  Describe them in as much detail as possible.

 

I think this should be very interesting study.  I'm not exactly sure what Dylan is looking for and I think he is being purposely vague as not to skew the answers.  He's talking about doing spreadsheets, algorithms and DNA scans.  Well, he was talking about doing spreadsheets.  He did not specify whether if it had to be a face-to-face con, so if you had a great game during an on-line con please take a few moments to answer in the comment section.

As an incentive to those who participate, I'll be giving away a PDF of my newest game book that I'll announce later in the week to a random participant.  So if you have the time, give some details on what your favorite con game and why.

Modernizing a Fantasy Adventure

I was happy to see +Erik Tenkar reported he'd used my adventure from The Manor #3.  I'd playtested that adventure a few times and liked it.  It is the first of a three part adventure series.  But I've only completed the first one.  Any way, +Douglas Cole wrote a post about the game over at Gaming Ballistic.  A concise retelling of the adventure.  It sounds like the players had smoking hot dice.  Usually its the GM that clobbers the players.  And I just saw that +Peter V. Dell'Orto posted a recap on his blog, Dungeon Fantastic.

The one thing from the report is I need to include an on-line friend map with the PDF versions.  A map that is not labeled with numbers or shows where the secret doors are.  When you know where a secret door is then it's just a door.  

Douglas mentioned that he wanted to take the adventure and modernize it.  I'd been thinking of redoing another adventure of mine in the same way.  I think that would be a cool exercise.  And being Douglas is a GURPS guru and I'm not to shabby myself, recreate it for a different system.   I hope I get a chance to do this.

Friday Question

There are a lot of cool products being released and activities going on.  I panned on making a list of some of the cool items released this past few weeks, but I lost the list and I don't have enough time or brain power to remember them.  But there are some cool activities I do remember.

+Timothy Brannan is participating in a Live Chat on #RPGNet. Friday Night at 8:00pm Central time.  I asked him to remind me today because I wasn't going to remember, but hey, even I have the capacity to 'member something.  I think I'm going to listen in on it, but I've never been on RPGNet for more than a few minutes total.  Here's the link http://tinyurl.com/rpgnetchat.

+ConTessa is kicking off this weekend.  +Stacy Dellorfano is leading the way for this on-line convention.  You can find the event list at +Tavern Keeper.  I want to join in a game, but weekends are usually lousy times for me to play.  I'm hoping to sneak into one of the panels about Game Design.  Should be interesting.

+Gasp Games is having a game day tomorrow in the Pittsburgh area.  Another activity I really want to take part in as it's only 90 minutes away.  +Brianna Sheldon is going to have her hands full between +ConTessa and game day.  I'd like to go down there one time and check to see what its about then maybe run a few games.  I'd really like to get back to running a game now and then.

+Erik Tenkar is kicking off a significant contest.  The "So You Want to be an OSR Superstar?" competition.  There are some very cool prizes available.  The first stage is create a magic item using Swords & Wizardry Complete ruleset.  I imagine most of you already have cool magic items made, dust them off, polish and enter.  Erik asked me to be one of the judges.  And before you ask, yes I do accept bribes and my currency is gaming books.

+Douglas Cole has got a 2 hour interview with +Kenneth Hite.  You can find it on his Gaming Ballistic blog.  I've been reading Ken's gaming books for several years.  The guy knows his stuff and Douglas does a great job with the interview.

So my question to you is, doing any gaming the weekend?  I'm hoping to get in a few of the above.  So much great stuff going on.

A Cross Section of a Big Dungeon

I forget why I drew this.  One of the blogs had a contest of drawing a cross section of a mega-dungeon.  I went into Paint and slapped this one together in about 15 minutes.  I found it again and considering using it for something.  I think there is some usable stuff there.  Oh wait, I think it may have been what it would look like it there was a city built upon the ruins of an older city.  I think.

Charnel is the name of the city above and it is slowly sinking into the ground.  Once it become too dangerous they rebuild a top the old layer.

Still feeling horrible, but off to work I go.  No rest for the wicked or those of us who have no chance of having a stay at home job making big dungeons for a living. 

An Orc Reviews The Manor #5

Dylan Hartwell over at his Digital Orc blog took time out of his schedule to do a review of The Manor #5.  He gives a great overview of the zines flaws and what he enjoyed.  I cannot deny these flaws and my run on sentence...which after he wrote about I'm thinking one of my editors (I had two read through it) mention that long rambling sentence and for some reason I ignored or forgot their suggestion.  See another run on sentence.  I do that.

The one thing he mentions that I have complete control over is the appearance quality.  I had a batch of Manors where they looked like they were wearing pin-stripped suits.  I thought I had put those aside to toss out, but apparently I didn't and in my carelessness they must have made it back into my pile on zines.  If anyone else had a zine arrive all mucky, let me know and I'll ship out a fresh one.  Without the streaks.

Should you be so inclined, head over to Dylan's corner of the blogosphere and read the review.  He has also has some good things to say to you know. 

Using My Tavern Cards

Yesterday I wrote about my Tavern Cards from the same named Kickstarter.  I thought I'd use them to create a tavern on the spot.  Somewhere I thought I saw someone using a Tavern Card Spread, but can't find it or I may just have made it up in mind.  So I'm creating my own Official Gothridge Manor Tavern Card Spread (OGMTCS).  I have no idea what that means.  I'm off sick from work today so I may be a little delusional.

Here's how the OGMTCS works.  You shuffle the cards and then lay out four of the cards in a square...  What?  Did you expect some Tarot Card fancy smancy spread.  Not here.  Not now.  So make a square with the four cards.  The top two will be the name.  The bottom two are features you will find in the tavern.  Now I need to find the camera because this is going to need visual aids. 

This is what a shuffled deck of Tavern Cards should look like.  While they may look exactly like an unshuffled deck I assure you they are shuffled.  I'm a trained professional.

This is what an Official Gothridge Manor Tavern Card Spread (OGMTCS) looks like.  Please don't let this intimidate you.  And please don't get frustrated if you can't do it correctly the first time.  it takes practice and patience.  If you need assistance you can email me for instructions.

So the we take the top two cards for the name.  The one on the left has a verb/adjective on the left side of the card and the top right card has the noun on the right side of the card.  For beginners left is this way < and right is this way >, unless you are standing on your head, then reverse.  The name of our tavern is The Thirsty Mare.

At the bottom part of the OGMTCS are a couple of features of The Thirsty Mare.  It's got cheap rooms and burly bouncers.  It's like magic.  I now have a tavern that the players can enter and burn down later in the session.

The Thirsty Mare
The Thirsty Mare was once a high end tavern where rich merchants mingled with young nobles.  Their libertine activities were accompanied by an influx of the criminal element.  When the novelty of the Drinking Mare wore off, the merchants and nobles left, but the criminal element remained.  It is now a place known to be run by the Shadow Merchants, a guild of thieves and thugs.  While they run the tavern as a regular business there is a lot of side tranactions going on.  Fights rarely happen at The Thirsty Mare because the bouncers use poisons and toxic powders to quell conflicts.  Any damage done to the tavern has a street price set, it averages to be 10x the amount of the actually cost of the damage.  If you destroy a chair that costs 3sp, you'd better deliver 30sp in a timely manner or you may find yourself mugged, home looted or your favorite pet nailed to your door.  The place is run by a man called, Grist.  He bears the ritual scarring practiced by the mad shamans that live on the Porvose Reef.  He is a large man with unusual powers.  Many come to him for counsel.

I think its not a half bad tavern.  Definitely something I can use.  All inspired by Tavern Cards and the use of the OGMTCS. 

Mail Call, Tavern Cards Are in My Grasp

Today when I went to the PO Box and inside was a yellow ticket.  That means they have a package for me.  So I go to the desk and I trade my yellow ticket for a package.  I really like seeing yellow tickets in my box.  I get my package and I open it up and what do I see???

TAVERN CARDS!

I went for the six deck option.  Oh yeah.  +Hannah Lipsky came through in a big way.  I really like the final product.

This is what they look like spread out in a neat line.  Lots of color.  Bold pictures.  And fun way to instantly develop a tavern.

Here's what they look like messy.  I like the messy look better.  It shows off the colors and some of the art.  Each card has a verb or adjective on left side and a noun on the right.  So you can pull two cards and get tavern names like....Violet Stableboy....The Charming Harlot....The Jumping Rogue.  Then each card depicts something about the tavern.  A few examples are...minstrel...gaming game....free round of drinks.  So with a few cards you got yourself a playable tavern.

On more serious news.  +Erik Tenkar is a bad person.  Don't be fooled by his giveaways and his contests.  It's all a cover.  The man is malicious.  He used his powers of persuasion and lured me into the evil grasp of another Kickstarter.  I just get one in the win column and "he pulls me right back in".  I've joined the ranks of the Scarlet Heroes Kickstarter.  +Kevin Crawford is about as solid as they come.  And I think he's running this Kickstarter intelligently.  Plus he knows how to write a kickass game.

Oh, but wait.  I'm not quite done.  I snuck in something else...I bought a copy of Torchbearer RPG.

I bought it off eBay so I will wait for another one of those yellow tickets to appear in my post office box.  I'm not sure why I was fascinated by this one, but I was and found it for a decent price. 

Time to go deal out a few taverns.

Valentine's Day Present

So Whisk asked me what I wanted to Valentine's Day.  Normally we don't pay attention to it, but this year we've come to even the goofy holidays with a new attitude and decided to enjoy them.  Our new attitude these days is, "You only get a certain number of these so you might as well enjoy the ones you can".  So that's what we're doing. 

Our gifts are not going to be surprises, but rather I pick out some I want, she picks what she wants.  She wants baking stuff.  I want gaming stuff.  Shocking, I know.

So here's what I selected.

Castle of the Mad Archmage by +Joseph Bloch.  Ordered it this morning.  While it is shipping media mail I probably won't exactly get it by next Friday, but maybe.  Now with this ginormus adventure you'll need to get the Map Book and the Illustration Book.  There has been some minor bitching about there being three books, only minor, but those that have complained about it apparently haven't run an adventure, especially a large one, where the maps and illustrations are in the same book.  Too much flipping around.  I think it was very smart of Joe to separate it into different books for easy reference.  The cost of all three plus shipping was $39.34.  To me that's good value for your money.  And, you get all the PDFs included.

Time for work.  I have a yellow card in my PO Box and I've heard rumbling that Tavern Cards are beginning to appear.  I'm hoping I have my six decks waiting for me.

Game Night

Tonight Adzeer Matiu takes his new black sword of demon slaying into Monteport.  The sword is a normal against everything except demons.  Against demons it turns into a death machine.  It is +6 vs Demons.  It does 6d6 damage against demons.  Then it deals 6 points of damage vs. the wielder on a successful hit.

I think this is a great weapon.  While Adzeer has a few hit points, those 6 points of damage will add up quickly.  +Ken H built a great weapon.  Can't wait to use it and figure out a strategy.  There are a few larger demons we needed to run away from last time.  Maybe with this new sword we'll be able to finally get through the beasts.

Yesterday may have been the Super Bowl, but tonight is game night.  And we're much funnier than the commercials.  At least we think so.

GM Games Sales Report: January 2014

 Nothing new released this month at GM Games.  Still manages to squeak in a few sales.  It's amazing how a new release can sell products in your back catalog.  I've been playing around with laminated maps, note card sized, mainly for my own amusement.  Issue #6 of the Manor is halfway done with the aide of +matt jackson's contribution.  I've got a few pieces pending and need to figure out what I need for art and find someone to art it.  

Upcoming projects.  I'm planning on releasing a Compendium of the first 5 issues of the Manor.  I've got +Johnathan Bingham on the hook to do the cover.  He and his wife Daisy do some incredible covers for others I though I'd shoulder my into the fray.  I think it will be cool to have a hardback version of the Manors.  Even if I'm the only one who snags a copy.  I plan to go through the all the Manors, clean up some of the typos that slipped through and possibly add a few pieces.  I'll be releasing it on RPGNow and Lulu. 

The other project has been a long standing project I've had on the back burner for too long.  This project is the capable hands of +Tim Snider who is probably slashing away at my prose with more glee than Joffrey Baratheon smothering his first kitten.  All the art is done, +Jason Sholtis and +John Larrey have went above and beyond on this one.  And +Rob Conley added his artistic flare for maps.  I'm not ready to announce it yet, because I don't want to jinx it.  So I'm staying hush until I have went through the final edits and figured out how the whole POD thing works.

Onto the numbers.  Thanks for the interest and those of you who were brave enough to buy one or more products of mine.

 

January 2014

Knowledge Illuminates: released February 16th, 2011, print version released October 29th, 2012
PDF: 0 (16)   Print: 0   Total Sales: 399 (189)

The Manor, Issue #1: released May 5th, 2012
PDF: 1   Print: 1   Total Sales: 321

The Manor, Issue #2: released July 4th, 2012
PDF: 1   Print: 1   Total Sales: 238

Cave of Seiljua: released September 9th, 2012
PDF: (12)   Print: N/A   Total Sales: (533)
 
The Manor, Issue #3: released released February 7th, 2013
PDF: 1   Print: 1   Total Sales: 144

Mini Manor: Faces Without Screams: released April 19th, 2013
PDF:  (7)   Print: N/A   Total Sales: (264)

The Manor, Issue #4: released July 28th, 2013
PDF: 1   Print: 1   Total Sales: 92
   
Where is Margesh Blackblood?: released August 12th, 2013
PDF: 0 (11)   Print: N/A   Total Sales: 14 (178)

The Manor, Issue #5: released November 21st, 2013
PDF: 1   Print: 2   Total Sales: 76

Execution Corner: released December 15th, 2013
PDF: 5 (9)  Print: N/A  Total Sales: 22 (103)
_________________________________________________
Total Sales for January 2014
PDF: 10 (55)   Print: 6   Total Sales: 16 (55)