Review: Weird Adventures

Trey Causey's Weird Adventures is a work of wonder. I say this on a number of levels. Firstly, it is long. It makes me wonder how long it took to write such a voluminous and inspired piece (see what I did there?). Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, it is incredibly imaginative. I was somewhat cheeky and asked Trey for a copy of his Strange Stars for review. Trey not only obliged graciously, but actually suggested Weird Adventures may be more aligned with my predilections — hinting I review this instead.

At first I was not quite sure what he meant. Sure, I'm a fan of pulp tales. I like my 1930s weird fiction as much as the next nerd, but I didn't fully click on why I may enjoy Weird Adventures especially. Before delving into specifics, let me first identify what Weird Adventures most reminds me of: Deadlands Noir. Deadlands Noir is a Savage Worlds setting is based on a fictitious rendition of North America circa-1930 in an alternate future. Think hardboiled detectives in New Orleans and you're on the right track. It's pulpy. Weird Tales is highly suggestive of the same, yet extends this idea (in my opinion) much further.

Mechanically, there is little to suggest any particular system over another (the exception is the "Weird Menaces" section which I will discuss later). Rather than being problematic, this is instead a boon. One of my key gripes with Deadlands Noir was that it contains enough mechanical information to shoe-horn the reader into a particular conception of the setting, or an understanding of how a Deadlands Noir game could play out. Weird Adventures, by contrast, is purposefully broad and insinuating. It never quite locks the reader into a hard-and-fast "this is Weird Adventures". Rather, and fortuitously, it leaves a lot of things unsaid. I do not mean to suggest this book is devoid of assertive content, not at all, but the information and the ideas it does present are like adventure hooks rather than stat blocks. See the difference? One gets the imagination fired up, allowing linkages between your own game and the piece you are reading. The other tells you the system you'll be using, and how a particular scenario may go down.

By and large, Weird Adventures proposes an alternative reality to our own. It is kind-of Europe, and kind-of Africa, and kind-of America, but it's also not. It hints at a world-shaking event, containing enough catastrophe and apocalypse to dismember our "real" world, while retaining identifiable semblances to our own reality. The mood of Weird Adventures is successfully reflective of the various pulp tales I have read. It contains excitement, adventure, notions of "other", malevolent forces, turbaned sikhs, weird dimensions, and the astonishment and over-the-topness of every good pulp tale. Other prevalent themes throughout Weird Adventures include: progress, technology, innovation, sexuality, bureaucracy, the optimistic booming of economy, mysticism versus thaumaturgy (intuited magic versus applied magic), planes and the supernatural. In this sense it successfully melds the tropes of sword & sorcery (and therefore D&D) with the "real world" — albeit in a fictitious time period some 70-80 years past. It taps into the collective unconscious of the pulp tales: the economic concerns of the depression, the devastating effects of the Civil and World Wars, the proto-future and golden age of the Art Deco era, the unsuppressed optimism and faith in industry, mass production, consumerism, and finally, the ideals of Fordism. 

But why is this important or desirable? Serious gamers who inject cultural- or self-examination and retrospection into their games will surely enjoy the ability to navigate these themes within a unified game world. By contrast, those who prefer the frivolity and entertainment of role-playing games — the murderhobosim, misadventure, excitement, and the ability to roll some dice with friends — will enjoy the potential of this setting. It is the sort of location, that while making suggestions, invites and stimulates the imagination. It gets me thinking: "That's cool, but imagine if I..." or: "Whoa. If I changed that organisation into a cult, and this city was situated here...".

Causey maintains the pulpy vibes throughout the book, extending to the visual nature of Weird Adventures. He has (presumably) commissioned artwork for this setting, and it matches the appeal of the setting perfectly. Public domain artwork has been used, which I've repeatedly discussed my own disliking of. Like Dark Albion however, I think this is entirely topical and appropriate. In fact, except in a few instances, I could not determine which art was public domain, and which was commissioned. At times there were some slight visual inconsistencies — the style of the maps contrasted with certain illustrations, or two "menaces" were composed by different artists. The layout, the organisation, and the aesthetic was all purposeful and effective. The cover is reminiscent of the iconic demon statue painted on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook, yet could just as easily be found in an Indiana Jones-esque tomb. 

"Weird Menaces" is a section relegated to the end portion of the book. It describes "fearsome creatures and strange encounters" within the Weird Adventures paradigm. This portion is really the only section which presumes the reader will be using one type of gaming system over another. By implication, a vintage edition of D&D or a comparable retroclone is assumed. This may be limiting to some readers, especially those expecting a d20-type write up. For most of the readership however, I think this decision will match their expectations.

I do not have anything negative to say about Weird Adventures. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. That said, there was one small issue worth mentioning for prospective buyers. At times certain wordings or coined expression, unique to the setting, became detractive. As in Strange Stars, Causey makes no hesitations injecting his own unique vernacular into the setting. In principle I have no issue with this (quite the contrary). However, at times these peculiarities could be clandestine or obfuscating.

Anyone with a love of pulp fiction/fantasy would not go amiss by obtaining a copy of Weird Adventures. It's an inspiring piece, brimming with fun ideas. Because I'm in the middle of a Savage Worlds campaign, I can see how nicely Weird Adventures would work as a standalone setting for an alt-reality pulp game, or in conjunction with Deadlands Noir. Those running fantasy games will probably find something useful about this work too: maybe the characters are switched to another dimension and end up in the Weird Adventures milieu. Otherwise, there are new monsters (or "menaces") to be pilfered for existing fantasy campaigns. Those with a strict adherence to one genre or another may not find the pastiche of ideas to their tastes; it gathers ideas broadly. Me? I like it. Trey Causey's Weird Adventures gets a big thumbs up. I highly recommend it, not only for its applicability, but also as an interesting narrative. Sure, many of the ideas have been purveyed from other literature, but Causey is original in his interpretation, amalgamation, and expansion of these ideas, creating something unique and fun in the process. 

Praise for Tombstone

Writing can be a largely solitary (and at times, isolated) activity. My initial motivation for formally creating Tombstone was to produce a fun, simple Wild West I could play with my friends, and a rulebook with art I liked. Most of the time I create products which are received with little feedback. Here and there people may comment that they enjoy something, or that they'd like to try it, or compliment some aspect of what I have done.

I was feeling a little jaded last night, but I got this lovely email out of the blue:

"Hi Corey,

I just wanted to let you know that I downloaded your Tombstone alpha rules and printed out the book and read through it. I really like what you've done.  I've tried several of the wild west games out there (Coyote Trail, Shotguns and Saddles, Blood & Bullets, Boot Hill, Wild West Cinema, and others I am likely forgetting) but your game really works for me. I love the simplicity and how easy it is to add house rules to. I'm greatly looking forward to the finished product. I really like the game and can't wait to see it in the finished form. I liked it enough that I ordered the actual print book from lulu after we played. I think we are going to give it another go on Sunday.I'm even considering running this for my regular face to face group a week from Sunday. Keep up the great work!"

These little moments keep me motivated and inspired. Thank you!

Tombstone: Wild West RPG Update

Work continues to progress on Tombstone - sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. I have been editing and amending the alpha rules, and tidying up various inconsistencies. I hope to have a playtest version ready by the year's end (if not sooner). 

Today I received a gorgeous town map of Silverton from +Joe Salvador. Joe has been doing an outstanding job capturing the grittiness and mood I've been attempting to create within Tombstone. His work nicely complements Erik Wilson's commissioned artwork, and at least from a artistic perspective, I can confidently say this game is going to look great!

Here's a preview of Joe's Silverton map. If you have not already, I'd suggest you follow Joe for updates, and head over to his blog to check out his existing work. He is a great game designer in his own right, and has a published module in the new Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea Kickstarter adventures.

In a month or so I plan to run some G+ playtests of Tombstone, so if you're interested in that, stay tuned...

Blueholme Prentice Rules: Review

Author: Michael Thomas 
Price: $0.00/$9.99 (DriveThruRPG/Dreamscape Design)
Format: PDF/Print
Page count: 57
System: Dreamscape Design
Year: 2014


I will be transparent: I do not own Dungens & Dragons Holmes (unless a PDF copy counts). Over the past two years the retro-allure has certainly tempted me. Ebay's nightmarish, and often extortive shipping prices to New Zealand have inevitably prevented this however. When +Michael Thomas released the Blueholme Prentice rules I was interested by the potential of this ruleset, particularly if it was rules-light and representative of Holmes. My personal dealings with Michael have been very positive - he is a nice guy, always willing to chat - and he was generous enough to mail me a physical copy for review (which doesn't often happen!). 

It should be apparent to anyone vaguely acquainted with my writing that I enjoy OD&D and B/X Basic. The freewheeling aspect of these editions is appealing; particularly the minimal preparation required, and the maximum potential for fun. Historically the Basic Set emerged with the purpose of introducing new players to the hobby, and going to some lengths to clarify the existing OD&D rules. Assuming Blueholme cleaves closely to the original Holmes rules (warranting a "retroclone" status), I expected a simple and transparent system, while being representative of the original texts.

The purpose of this review is not a study the minute similarities and differences between Holmes and Blueholme. Rather, the purpose is a subjective impression of the game as a standalone system. Of course, this review cannot help being informed by the primary inspiration of this system, so some comparison to Holmes will inevitably occur. 

The Good
I'm a sucker for a good cover. Undoubtedly one of the biggest appeals of Blueholme is the awesome cover art by Jean-Francois Beaulieu. It captures the essence of the Holmes set nicely with its iconic blue cover. The dragon is very reminiscent of the original, yet the whole piece is a satisfying homage without being a pedant to history. I've previously discussed my disdain for OSR products that are slavishly reminiscent of TSR's yesteryear. I like that the Blueholme cover deviates from tradition in a fun way. Its is not a kitsch or tacky try-hard attempt to invoke nostalgia, but the roots of inspiration are transparent. I will talk about the artwork later, but suffice to say, I adore the cover.

Blueholme's true strength is its vivid and crystalline presentation. The table of contents provide excellent oversight, fitting into a single page. The introduction is a brief synopsis of the booklet and welcomes the reader to dive right in. I cannot praise the simplicity and alacrity of writing enough. In my opinion it is very eloquent, forgoing many of the arduous textbook conventions of a role-playing game. Blueholme Prentice does not require mental exercise to grok the contents, to flick between pages with a confused frown, or to toil through pages of dry and uninspired text. 

These rules are designed to quickly consult amidst the flurry of an exciting game, rather than being an encyclopaedic reference work one is required to memorise with fastidious dedication. This is a workman's D&D. This is Blueholme's obvious appeal. Tables, charts, explanations and descriptions are executed with the mantra of concision and explication in mind. For this reason I eagerly anticipate the Blueholme Compleat rules. If Compleat is accessible as Prentice, I believe it will be an excellent edition. My proclivity and adoration for OD&D probably influences this belief somewhat!

Character creation is a simple process in Blueholme, representative of the ethos of early D&D. Thomas has designed Blueholme to be even more accessible than the original texts, which is an added bonus. This is surely the strong point of the game. 


The example character sheet (pictured left) is indicative of the simplicity of creating characters. 


This is a no frills approach to D&D. If you're looking for a system that enables quick play and practicality, Blueholme excels. Some gamers may be deterred by the brevity and interpretative nature of the system, but I perceive it to be a selling point.

Let me be clear that I do not have a go-to edition of D&D. I'm an edition whore. Sometimes I like playing a granular system like AD&D, AS&SH or 3e. Sometimes I want a quick rules-lite game of OD&D or B/X. Sometimes I want an in-between like 5e or Savage Worlds. Prentice firmly inhabits the rules-lite camp, and is a viable candidate for classic styled games.


The Bad

My largest complaint with the Blueholme Prentice rules is the almost exclusive usage of common domain images. For the indie designer on a budget, this is often a necessary design choice, and one I fully understand. 

However I cannot shake the feeling that the assortment of images chosen to "fit" the system only make-do rather than convince me of an over-arching flavour in a satisfying way. What do I mean by this? If the cover artist had illustrated this entire booklet I would be in love with Blueholme. The cover image invites excitement and imagination, reminiscent of early editions, while the interior art does not fit a cohesive theme (besides being public domain). In this way the presentation seems somewhat confused or disappointing at times.

Of course this necessarily raises a larger question of designer sustainability, and one's ability to afford up front the costs needed to generate new products. In short I would have liked the layout and interior artwork to be commissioned. Consequently I would be holding a truly inspiring product. I understand the upcoming Blueholme Compleat rules will be filled with commissioned artwork and this is an excellent decision, hopefully extending to commissioned layouts and graphic design too.

A secondary critique which is slightly unfair, is that Blueholme Prentice is only for levels 1-3. One is referred to the Compleat rules if one wishes for higher levels, much like Holmes referred the reader to AD&D. This is a minimal issue for a number of reasons:

1. Prentice professes to adhere to Holmes (which was only levels 1-3). Therefore why would it go beyond 3rd level? That is what Compleat is for.

2. The PDF of Prentice is a free download. Think of it as a taster, if you enjoy Prentice and/or want additional levels graduate to Compleat.

3. Short campaigns needn't exceed the first 3 levels of play (in fact I remember reading somewhere that Eric Holmes' campaigns rarely surpassed 3rd level).

Some readers/players may find this an annoyance (and was probably a factor that detracted from TSR's Holmes). If your campaigns are centred around the first 3 levels of play, or you are frequently gaming one-shots, I would recommend you seriously consider using Prentice rules as your go-to (but please, more artwork from Jean-Francois Beaulieu!).


Final Thoughts

Blueholme Prentice is an imaginative tool. It captures the spirit of early D&D, which is about adjudication rather than minute rules-lawyering. It offers a palette of options, rather than dictums. It is clear, concise, and utterly gameable. I can imagine porting my own house rules and class variants to Blueholme with no problems. I'm very much looking forward to Compleat, which promises to surpass Prentice's shortcomings (level limitations and the detracting public domain artwork). An entire book filled with commissioned artwork will be awesome. 

By all means pick up a free PDF copy of Blueholme Prentice. Pay for a physical copy if this review has ticked your requirements for a pick-up game. Besides clarifying the ambiguities of Holmes, this product makes no attempt to expand on the original. This is purposeful, and firmly situates it as a true retroclone.

I plan to run an adventure or two using Blueholme, and who knows, it may even replace my habit of using B/X for one-shots. It's a ruleset I won't mind thrashing because that's what it's designed to do: be gamed.

"Get Off My Bedroll You Filthy Dwarf!": An Essay On Playing With People

Last night a friend asked me to write an article about this topic. I don't normally do 'requests' as such: I have to be genuinely inspired by a topic, and actually have something worthwhile to say. But I viewed it as a challenge, so here goes...

Note that this is largely written for the benefit of the beginning DM. This stuff will probably be obvious to veterans, but my hope is there is at least something of use herein!


A Communal Game
Dungeons & Dragons is invariably a communal game. Thus, there exists a social contract between everyone at the table. The catch is, this contract is often unspoken, and becomes effectively rendered invisible. It is very apparent that people are drawn to D&D because it is an enjoyable pastime. Simply put, it is fun. There are additional reasons of course: some like rolling dice; others enjoy assuming fictitious identities or world-building; making characters; inhabiting mythology, history or folklore can be attractive; or maybe it's just to escape reality for awhile. The invisibility of the social contract can become problematic for a number of reasons, mainly because everyone wants something slightly different from the game. 


Everyone's Different
Let's pretend we have five players at the table:

1. Sally is the Dungeon Master. She loves creating her own worlds. It's a creative process for her. Helping players become immersed in her creations is vastly rewarding.

2. Bevan likes combat. He loves rolling dice, scoring critical hits (if such things exist in your games), he likes the action, and he likes being a bit of a hero in the party. Some call this guy the 'min-maxer', and often he knows all the rules. 

3. Samantha is primarily a role-player. She is always coming up with new ideas for characters. The powers or the benefits of the character are not really important , it's more the process of immersing herself in the game that is appealing. She needs to feel like she can actually express this alternate identity. 

4. Doug like solving problems. He likes riddles, puzzles, determining intrigue, setting up traps, coming up with strategic ways of dealing with situations. His character is really just him, but in this shared fantasy world. The challenge is what he's drawn to, rather than the character or the world necessarily.

5. Finally we have Sophie. Sophie doesn't talk much at the table, being fairly quiet. She loves the game however, and faithfully shows up every week. She has a vivid imagination and while she doesn't say much, there's plenty going on in her head as she experiences the fantasy worlds presented by Sally, and negotiated by the players. She loves the adventure or exploration aspect of that game. 

Okay...

Have you been in this group before? Because I have.


Expectations
The names of the players may be different, the wants and desires from the game may vary group to group, but I've been there. I've been both the player and the DM in this type of situation. The mark of a good DM (and I would say player too) is negotiating the differences at the table. Not only do we have personal drivers for why we wish to play, but the type of games we want to play vary substantially. Some love the high fantasy thing: lots of magic, myriad races and magic items, and a vast world that the characters can become heroes of. Some games are gritty and dark. Some have horror or weird elements. Some players like 'gonzo' games. Some want a mix of this and a mix of that. Some don't really care.

To complicate matters further we have different levels of commitment. For some players the game is an obsession or their favourite hobby. For some it just gives them something to do on a Saturday night. The places we actually play the game might also vastly differ: some congregate at hobby stores, while others infinitely prefer the solace of one's home surrounded by friends.

With all this difference it's a wonder that groups stay together very long (and I suspect it's a reason why many fall apart).


Collaboration
I don't care who you're playing with, there needs to be a level of teamwork or agreement for a group to function. I don't mean the friendly well-behaved party where all the members agree on everything, even though they are supposedly wildly different people (although if that's everyone's cup of tea, go for it). Groups where characters disagree, or have vast difference is more interesting in my opinion. It is a more organic or believable process. It reflects real life to a greater extent. Disagreements or conflicts within a game do not necessitate in being an 'issue'. See them as an opportunity. When I say there needs to be 'agreement' or 'teamwork' I mean that the players need an understanding of what their games will entail and what the expectations within the games will be. As I've already mentioned I don't believe this is often verbalised (nor does it necessarily need to be), but it is essential that if I'm playing with whoever that we're on the same page. In my games D&D is not the outlet for someone to express their sexual fantasies, but for some groups this sort of thing is okay. Likewise some will inevitably balk at the idea that my games are extremely violent, often involving human sacrifice and other nastiness. Luckily everyone at my table is down for that style of play so it's not a problem. The point is, everyone needs to be board. There is a need for collaboration.


Keeping Things Safe & Appropriate
Tastes evolve and adapt over time, but it's essential to respect those you play with. Last year I ran a 5th edition game in a hobby store and I was very careful about the level of brutality I injected in the game. I have a general disdain for including other races besides human (I find them yawningly boring and over-used), but this game had all the races you may wish to play. The game was designed to be open to all, and hopefully be an enjoyable experience for everyone at the table. Compare that to my home games where the players have slaughtered everyone within a temple, or walked into a room where cannibals are tearing the flesh off a still-living human. Clearly there is a massive divergence between these two games, but it is reflective and appropriate for the context of play where the game occurs. In my home games there is a level of trust available for these themes to occur and be present, and for everyone to go home having had a good time. It's taken years of playing together. Yes, we've had some heated arguments over the years. Or one player may vehemently disagree about a ruling, or whatever, but that sort of stuff has actually been essential for establishing the group process. We have a mutual respect for each other.

With public games (at a store), or in games in which you are playing with strangers or mere acquaintances I feel a slightly different approach is required. The DM either needs to be transparent about the content likely to arise in the game, or they need to run a strictly G or PG styled game. The key is respecting the players. Just because I've written a vastly brutal adventure that I think is awesome, doesn't mean I have the right to inflict that on anyone unless it's within a safe context.


Encouraging Synergy
So that's my essay really: things need to be safe and respectful for all players. When these two things are present within a game I find the differences between players actually become assets: Bevan knows all the rules so he can assist Sally (DM) when she forgets something. Samantha can help Sophie express herself more openly. Doug's enthusiasm for puzzles can rub off on other players, etc. Likewise, when the social contract is uncertain, why not voice it: "I'd love to run a horror-fantasy game, and it may get bloody and violent. What does everyone think?" Speaking from experience these two elements - safety and respect - go a long way towards the true intent of the game: to have fun. 

Hill Cantons Compendium II - Review

Hill Cantons Compendium II - Review

Author/s: Chris Kutalik & Mike Davison (Hydra Collective LLC)
Price: $0 - Pay what you want
Format: PDF
Page count: 21
System: OSR (0e/1e/insert retroclone here)
Year: 2015

Procrastination is a funny thing - you often end up places you would not expect to. Today was no exception, as I stumbled upon the Hill Cantons Compendium II. The PDF is free to download, and for anyone running a 0e-styled game (or AD&D or Labyrinth Lord or whatever) I recommend checking it out. Actually, you know what? Check it out even if you're not running any of those systems.

You may be asking why. Well, for starters it's free. If that isn't appealing enough, then how about the fact it includes a very brief setting overview, a bunch of new classes, and a whole swathe of random tables?

The Good.
Right off the bat I'm going to say it: I like this. When I began reading I thought okay, another home-brew setting where I don't understand the in-joke references, but between that thought and finishing my read-through, something clicked. I like how sparsely defined the setting is, and while I would never use it (because I have my own imagination, and thrive on designing my own settings), it had some interesting bits that I would certainly steal - like the idea that there is a rather 'normal', seemingly magic-less hub of civilisation, whereupon the further one ventures out things get weirder and weirder. It describes in loose terms the socio-political setup, and the idea of 'hostels' - multi-storied buildings of (usually) ascending swankiness. The world seems to be an amalgam of weird fiction, sci-fi and swords & sorcery, with some more traditional fantasy tropes, but due to the brevity of the work it's a little difficult to be certain.

Then it gets really fun. The Compendium adds some new classes like the Black Hobbit - chaotic and black-hearted halflings; Chaos Monk - think bad 80s kung-fu movie characters made into a class; Feral Dwarf - crude, cave-men dwarves; Half-Ogre - mank, stinky, disgusting beings; Mountebank - illusory trickster; Pantless Barbarian - the name really says it all; Robo-Dwarves, War Bear and White Wizard - magic-user/cleric/druid combo. My personal favourites were the Black Hobbits (the little bastards), the Pantless Barbarians (because LOL), White Wizard (I've long thought the cleric class should be ditched and replaced with a magic-user class who can cast cleric spells too), and the Mountebank (cos I love all things thief). I found myself knee-deep in half-ogre faeces, chuckling to myself at a few things written therein. It's quite tongue-in-cheek, and very self-conscious.

The tables too, make a great addition to this compendium, and I can see myself using them just for NPCs: "Bob looks at you with..." *rolls dice* "...sad eyes - 'my parents didn't love me', he finishes".

The compendium is funny, useful and even rather innovative (if I may use that word, despite the fact EVERYTHING under the sun has been done already).

The Bad.
When something is free, one shouldn't really complain. However, I'm still of the opinion if you're going to bother with something do it right. My only complaint, if it even is a complaint, is at times I felt a little excluded from the text, almost as if this was used in a campaign, but then wasn't properly or extensively explained to the intended audience. Then again, I've been doing this hobby long enough that I actually don't care. I'm an adult, I don't need to be spoon-fed by a gaming company, and I can sift through the ideas to find the gems; which in this case is very easy to do. I noticed a few proofreading errors here and there, though honestly no more (or less) than my Adventures in Highwold supplement. The description for Isle of Tolmin and the House of the Axe was completely omitted. Is that a big deal? No. I didn't pay for it. Too, given my own experiences with writing and self-publishing, once something is 'complete' and published, it's only then that you notice the mistakes, but by that time you really can't be assed to correct it.

Conclusion.
You still haven't downloaded it??!

But seriously.