Review - Oubliette Magazine

Over the weekend I downloaded a couple of Oubliette PDF's and I am hooked. In fact I ordered the physical compilation of issues 1-4 and all the other issues released since then. It's fantastic, just in case you didn't know.

Why? Well that's the confusing thing... I'm not really sure. I guess if I had to put it in words I would describe it as a sense of cohesiveness. This is a magazine with a voice. Don't get me wrong, I've read quite a few issues of Knockspell and Fight On!, and while I like them both well enough I never was tempted to get every issue immediately and in a physical form no less.

Oubliette reminds me of the feeling I used to get when I received my new issue of Dragon in the mail, and I was a Dragon subscriber in the magazine's heyday. Oubliette may not always be the slickest or prettiest girl on the block but for my money it's better for it. There's a big heart beating in every issue and it's easy to see that every page is a labor of love.

Bravo!

Review - Barrowmaze

 

I'll just cut to the chase, if you don't have Barrowmaze by Greg Gillespie yet then buy it now. It's absolutely amazing. In fact, it's spectacular, if it was a woman I think I just might marry it. So in lieu of a review of my new favorite OSR module I'm going to do a simple list of pros and cons.

Pros:

• New magic items, monsters and spells. Normally this might not be a plus for me but these follow the rule less is more. They make sense and are implemented well.
  
• Compatible with anything with a small bit of tweaking.
  
• As a change of pace this is not the typical multi-level dungeon but more of a large very spread out dungeon. A nice feature that, with the setting, helps differentiate the dungeon.
• Random tables to help flesh out and dress the dungeon. A table for "re-stocking" the dungeon.
  
• Interesting and effective usage of time in the dungeon. Notes on time are given for random monster checks, searching rooms and alcoves and other time sensitive actions.
  
• Great risk and reward considerations are constantly presented to the player. For example, is the noise caused by knocking down a burial chamber wall and the risk of discovery worth the potential gain?
• The dungeon feels alive. The use of time, noise, dungeon re-stocks and different factions of monsters/opponents all contribute to an organic, ever changing dungeon environment.
• Definite old school difficulty curve. The back even states, "Don't forget the 10 foot pole."
• Amazing old school style art full of homages and implied narrative, take a look at that shield on the cover. Where have you seen that before?
• At 300 "rooms" it is large enough to be used as a "megadungeon" but it is also easily broken down into smaller sections.
• Clear and concise but with enough details to give the DM a guideline while still allowing creativity and spontaneity.
• Blue maps! Always a plus for me, I know, I know, I'm a sucker for anything old school.
• Pre-rolled characters and character sheets.
• A hireling named Patsy. Genius.
• It costs $6.66. Awesome.

Cons:

• I am not partial to the square font used for the letters and numbers to label the dungeon. I found it a little difficult to read.
  
• I would have liked to have seen a full fledged town with buildings, residents and some backstory built in. I know this is being a tad greedy but I want it anyway because I loved the rest of the package so much.
• Only available in PDF form presently. According to the author a print version should be available for purchase very soon.
• I feel anger and resentment at Greg Gillespie because he made the dungeon I always wanted to create. This, in turn, makes me feel like a bad person.

 

Barrowmaze is a labor of love that manages to combine fresh new ideas with old school sensibilities in surprising and fantastic ways. A ton of content is included for a very fair price (in fact, the author has submitted even more artwork that will be availible in the print version and via update for the PDF). At times some OSR products, especially modules, can seem a bit like a money grab, Barrowmaze is definitely not in this category and in fact, sets the new gold standard for excellence in the category.

 

 

 

 

 

Review - Crypts and Things

If you are familiar with Swords and Sorcery Core and Akrasia's House Rules (In fact, the title page shows the author as being Newt Newport with Akrasia) then you will recognize the skeleton upon which Crypts and Things is built. In fact the rulebook spends the first 35 pages or so presenting these two systems clearly and concisely to the reader. Additionally in this first "Player's Handbook" section you get some great art and a few minor deviations from the norm.

Some of these deviations are that there are no demi-humans in Crypts and Things and that the Undead can't be turned either as a class abilty or by a spell. Additionally, there are no alignment systems, the reason being that the world itself is an amoral one. Also of interest is the fact that magic Is almost always a bad thing. This implies that there is a price to be paid for magical power, not only for spells either, artifacts and magic items can carry a toll as well.

This is where the game really starts to show it's greatest strength, and the Swords and Sorcery aspect really starts to shine through. What is the game's greatest strength? Undoubtedly the setting and the ambiance. Newt Newton's world-building, milieu and overall vibe really start to assert themselves in the "Crypt Keeper's" section of the book. He includes a map of the continent with different locations that are well realized and each is given a small description.

Two more sections that do an especially good job of getting you into the Sword and Sorcerey mindset are the "Ill Gotten Gains of Dark Desire" (treasure and magic items) and the "Compendium of Fiends" (monster manual). Many of the magic items and monsters are tailored to fit the setting and it provides a nice immersion factor.

In addition to everything I've already mentioned you get a small adventure, a character sheet template and a very strong selection of appendices. These were perhaps the best part of the work other than the setting for me. They include such varied things as, The Role of the Crypt Keeper, Random Objects, City Events, Horror and Heroism, Descriptive Phrases and quite a few others. Most are tables of sorts but some like The Role of the Crypt Keeper are advice sections. All are designed to fit within the setting.

Crypts and Things by Newt Newport is a lot of things. How many of these things you need will determine how much mileage you get out of it. If you are confident in building a Sword and Sorcery world yourself and don't feel the need for inspiration then perhaps Akrasia's House Rules are sufficient for you. However, if you are a big fan of Swords and Sorcery or the fantasy worlds of Howard, Lovecraft and Lieber then Crypts and Things moves into must buy territory. It also bears mentioning that the game can be tailored to fit almost any rules system and is very adaptable, it can be used for anything from a single adventure to the basis for an entire campaign.

 

 

Module Retrospective - The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh

I plan to do one of these module retrospectives every week or so, I also plan to keep these relatively spoiler-free. In order to do this I will simply give some of the highs and lows without a tremendous amount of detail.

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh or module U1, is first on the chopping block. This module is suggested for play with characters at levels 1 through 3. Read on to see how it fares.

Originally released in 1981 and written by Dave Brown and Don Turnbull, The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, or SSoS from here on, was the first in a series of three modules developed in the United Kingdom. To me the module has always managed to convey a unique sense of "Britishness". There is even an interesting aside in the beginning of the module regarding some of the differences in spelling between the UK and US. They also explain that Americans may find the text a little "flowery".

Positives:

• There is a lot offered in this package, essentially you are getting two smaller adventures in one module. One with a haunted house atmosphere and another on a ship.
  
• The setting and plot are different from your average fantasy tropes and may not end up being what you initially expected.
• The module unfolds nicely and outcomes could be somewhat different for a second playthrough with another party.
• There is a nice difficulty curve to the module as well as a natural stopping point between the two halves, at this point characters are expected to return to the town of Saltmarsh and this in itself could be considered a micro-adventure of sorts.
  
• The DM gets to do a little role playing and the adventure requires the DM to juggle a few balls in the air. These are positives to me, if you consider them negatives, be forewarned.
• Great old school art, particularly the full page illustration on page 14 by Stephen D. Sullivan.

Negatives:

• Although the module is suggested for characters at levels 1-3, I would not recommend it for a party of amateurs. This module is designed for a "smart" party to get the most out of it. Not to say that a party could not bash their way through, but ultimately the savvy and canny player is rewarded accordingly with experience (I like that tremendously) as well as treasure. This could be seen as a positive to some.
• The module requires an experienced DM as there is a good bit to consider in regards to some of the enemies encountered, their movements, and party actions that can result in varied outcomes.
• The town of Saltmarsh is not mapped for the DM. You are left to create your own version following the modules basic template and instructions.

This module offers a lot to the player in terms of varied approach and just as importantly, is a blast for the DM as well. Often the involvement of the DM is taken for granted but one of the strengths of SSoS is its ability to "work" the DM yet remain clear, concise and engaging at the same time.

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is one of the best modules I have ever been in the DM's seat for. I remember reading it for the first time and thinking that it was unique, I had played quite a bit by that point so maybe it was just leaving the dungeon, so to speak. Upon re-reading it for this post however that uniqueness came flooding back and I feel confident in saying it has withstood the test of time.

Final verdict: Highly Recommended.