There and Back Again: My Circular Role-playing Journey

I’ve talked about my personal history with the ‘Old School Renaissance’ or ‘Old School Revival’ (OSR) in the past at this blog (e.g., see this post from 2022). But some reflection on the games that I’ve been playing in recent years has prompted me to scribble some further thoughts. (My apologies for being a bit self-indulgent here …)

[Saruman by Angus McBride]

It’s been an interesting journey. I was ‘floating around’ at various role-playing games fora during the early days of the OSR over two decades ago. Disappointment with 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons – and nostalgia for my early days of gaming – led me to dig out (and in some cases repurchase) my old Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Basic/Expert Dungeons & Dragons, Rules Cyclopaedia D&D, and other out-of-print RPG books. I was excited – and later disappointed – by Castles & Crusades in its early days. (I wrote positive reviews at RPG.net of both the C&C box set and Players’ Handbook, but eventually came to find the atrocious editing by Troll Lord Games intolerable.)  

I started this blog in 2009 in order to post some rules ideas for Swords & Wizardry (S&W). Some of my ‘swords and sorcery’ house rules for S&W appeared in early issues of Fight On! and Knockspell. Eventually, many of those rules were incorporated into Crypts and Things. So I guess that I contributed – albeit in a small way – to the creation of OSR “stuff,” at least early on. 

But I haven’t really been that engaged with the OSR for about a decade now. I still follow it to some extent. I mean, I have Dolmenwood and Shadowdark, as well as the more recent versions of S&W, and a few other things. I’ve backed the forthcoming ‘3rd edition’ of OSRIC (the original “retro-clone,” in this case of 1980 AD&D). While I regret some of my purchases, overall I find that there are still interesting things being produced. But I don’t really use any OSR (by which I mean here ‘TSR D&D-derived’) systems anymore, and haven’t for years. They just don’t appeal to me that much these days. I think that, given my tastes, there are superior alternatives available. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by this. I sort of thought the same thing about AD&D/D&D around 1985.

Almost all my gaming these days involve either Mythras or Against the Darkmaster (but sometimes my groups will play ‘one shots’ of other things, e.g., Mothership or Delta Green, and I’d like to run some Dragonbane someday). I find these systems more satisfying overall than any version of D&D (TSR, OSR, 3e, 5e, whatever). I guess I’m not a ‘rules lite’ person after all. In retrospect, I think that I thought that about myself only because I found running 3e D&D to be such a tedious chore. 

Of course, both Mythras and Against the Darkmaster are descendants of other ‘old school’ systems: Chaosium’s Basic Roleplaying (Runequest, Stormbringer, and the like) in the case of Mythras, and Iron Crown Enterprise’s Middle-earth Roleplaying (itself a simplified version of 2nd edition Rolemaster), in the case of Against the Darkmaster. So, I guess they're kind of ‘OSR’ systems as well (but not if we adhere to the “OSR = derived from TSR AD&D/D&D” definition). 

I can’t help but be struck by the extent to which my personal gaming history has repeated itself: dissatisfaction with AD&D/D&D led me to move to Middle-earth Roleplaying (MERP) and Basic Roleplaying (BRP), including Call of Cthulhu, Hawkmoon, and Stormbringer, in the mid-late 1980s. And about three decades later the same thing happened with OSR D&D and 5e D&D. Hopefully I've learned my lesson and won’t go through this cycle again.

As an aside, one thing that makes me think of the old MERP campaign modules as "old school" in nature is that – whatever their other faults – they were effectively “sandboxes” (as I explain here). They described a number of locations, some in detail, and provided advice for GMs on how to provide "hooks" for players. There were a few “adventure modules” for MERP – books with 3 adventures (usually aimed at levels, 1, 3, and 5) – but even those were pretty loose for the most part (generally they provided a setting and a situation), not “railroad” adventures. So, after my first several years with AD&D, a lot of my GMing involved using and running Middle-earth “sandbox” campaigns, although of course that term was not used in those days (at least to my knowledge). Indeed, I vividly recall comparing my MERP modules to TSR's Dragonlance series around 1986 or 1987, and noting how little room for improvisation or player freedom the latter allowed.

Anyhow, to the extent I was still involved in the hobby during the 1990s, the games I followed were those that came out earlier, especially MERP and Stormbringer (the latter revised and renamed Elric! during that decade). I remember visiting gaming stores in the 1990s and being a bit baffled and even put off by all the “goth” stuff. I never got into Vampire and the like (just as I never got into the Magic craze.) When D&D 3e came out, I was excited by it because it seemed to “improve” D&D by including certain things from other systems that I liked (e.g., skills). In play, though, I came to loathe the system after two year-long campaigns, and so was primed for the OSR when it happened.

Of course, had I been sensible, I would’ve just kept playing MERP, Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, and similar older games – and just ignored the hype around 3e D&D and the “d20” universe in the early 2000s. These days, for the most part, I’m happy to stick with my “d100” games, Mythras and Against the Darkmaster. Wisdom, I hope, comes with age.

An Old School Warhammer Against the Darkmaster in 2026

I thought I would mention here that the guys at Open Ended Games have posted a short (~23 minutes) end-of-year "Questions & Answers" video on Youtube.

The most noteworthy piece of news to come out of the Q&A, in my opinion, is that in 2026 we will see a VsD city adventure -- Trouble in Greyport -- from legendary game designer Graeme Davis (who is most famous for his work on Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, but has written for many other systems as well). I'm really looking forward to reading this module and hope that it will have a little of that old school "grim and perilous" Warhammer flavour!

Also coming out is an adventure set in some "badlands" or wastes for higher level characters (levels 7-10) by Gabe Dybing (whose previous VsD module is The Crown of Castle Cynehelm). I look forward to checking this out as well, especially given that there is not much available for VsD in this level range (probably only the latter part of the epic Secrets of the Golden Throne campaign).

Some kind of supplement for higher-level (10+) characters is in the works but is unlikely to come out in 2026.

Overall, the wheels keep turning for VsD. I liked both of the adventures that came out in 2025: The Crown of Castle Cynehelm and the dwarf-focused The Mines of Kor-Khazan. Both have a (more or less) "sandbox" (or "setting" + "situation") structure to them, with the course of action very much in the hands of the players. But I do wish that the maps in OEG's adventures would include proper scales!

[From the cover of The Mines of Kor-Khazan]

The Sorrows of Young Efric (Lyonesse RPG)

As I mentioned recently, I’ve started playing in a Lyonesse campaign. I’m quite excited about this, as Jack Vance’s Lyonesse trilogy is among my all-time favourites. Also, I'm a bit burnt out from running two campaigns. While I enjoy being a GM, I prefer to focus on one campaign at a time (my "Against the Court of Urdor" campaign is still going strong), and it’s a pleasant change of pace to alternate between playing and gamemastering. 

In case anyone is interested in what a Lyonesse player character looks like – perhaps to get a sense of the rules and setting – allow me to introduce my character: Efric ‘the Rational’.

I’ll begin with his brief backstory, generated in part by using the wonderful Lyonesse “Background Events” table. I tried to construct something suitably “Vancian” in flavour…

The Tale of Efric (so far):

Efric was born during an eclipse – along with his younger sister and brother – some eighteen years ago within the walled town of Sardilla in the realm of Caduz. It was an ominous sign. All the rats within his father’s tavern turned white that night.

The first twelve years of the triplets’ lives were uneventful. Efric and his brother learned how to play the lute and performed on occasion in the tavern. His sister loved to sing to their music. During those days the three “children of the eclipse” loved each other’s company.

But one day the legendary mage Tamurello chanced upon the trio whilst visiting the town. He sensed great magical potential within them and offered to take them on as his apprentices. Efric’s parents refused, and with a gracious smile the great mage departed.

A few months later, Efric’s parents died in a freak accident involve a runaway flaming cart filled with screaming cats. Whispers spoke of the involvement of the “Black Adder,” the mysterious spymaster of Caduz. Others suggested that magic was involved. In any case, Efric’s grandfather was overwhelmed by his new childcare duties. When Tamurello suspiciously reappeared in the town a month later, Efric’s grandfather was guiltily relieved to agree to let the mage take his three grandchildren as apprentices.

For six years Efric and his siblings studied at Tamurello’s manor Faroli in the Kingdom of Pomperol, at the edge of the Forest of Tantrevelles. The most talented of the triplets, Efric’s sister and brother eventually allied against him. Encouraged by Tamurello for his amusement (or so Efric suspected), his siblings became increasingly antagonistic towards him. Finally, unable to tolerate the miserable situation any further, Efric fled Faroli for Lyonesse Town.

Efric took his brother’s lute, a gift from Tamurello, when he fled. The lute was crafted by the famous Fairy Luthier, Fendair, and is greatly prized by all who know and understand the artistry of the lute and its music. Given his brother’s paltry skill at playing the instrument, Efric deemed it just that he should “liberate” it. 

The pale young mage now tries to earn a living playing melancholy tunes on his faerie lute at the Sad Cathay. His favourite song is “How Soon is Now?”, which should be unsurprising given his bleak demeanor and chonomantic skills. 

EFRIC “the Rational”

Homeland: Caduz.

Career: Magician

Age: 18

Social Class: Freeman (Affluence: 64).

Culture: Hybras.

Fashion Statement: “I wear black on the outside, because black is how I feel on the inside.”

Background Event: Magically gifted (trained by a mage).

Strength: 9.

Constitution: 7.

Size: 12.

Dexterity: 12.

Intelligence: 17.

Power: 15

Charisma: 15.

Action Points: 3

Damage Modifier: 0.

Experience Modifier: +1.

Healing Rate: 2

Initiative Modifier: 15.

Movement Rate: 6.

Luck Points: 3.

Magic Points: 15.

Passions:

Hate Brother and sister: 70.

Find one true love: 60.

Defend the honour of Caduz against Lyonesse condescension: 50.

Compulsion: Bathing (60).

After using Sandestin magic, Efric must take a proper bath that same day – failure to do so results in him being weary (unless he rolls over 60). This is because his Sandestin insists on cleanliness.

Standard Skills

Athletics: 21.

Boating: 16.

Common Tongue (Hybraic): 100.

Conceal: 32.

Customs: 74.

Dance: 27.

Eloquence: 35.

Endurance: 29.

First Aid: 29.

Folk Lore: 40.

Influence: 65.

Insight: 65.

Perception: 62.

Ride: 27.

Singe: 30.

Stealth: 30.

Swim: 16.

Unarmed: 21

Willpower: 70.

Professional Skills

Courtesy: 37

Lore (History of the Elder Isles): 40.

Music (strings – lute): 40 (55 when using Fairy lute).

Literacy: 99.

Fairy Magic: 50 (65 when using Fairy lute).

Sandestin Coercion: 62.

Sandestin Invocation: 64.

Research: 40.

Combat Style:

Citizen Militia (mace and shield): 51.

Trait: Cautious Fighter.

Fairy Magic: 50 (65 when using Fairy lute).

“Far-flung Whisper-song” (projects the voice of the target).

“Irudo’s Immortal Bulldog” (creates an alarm in the form of an illusory dog).

“Willowisp werelight” (creates magical light).

“Shiel’s Anonalous Key” (fastens/unfastens locks and bars).

“The Four-Fold Spell” (increases movement rate).

Sandestin Coercion: 62.

Known Axiom: Chronomancy.

6 Sandestin Coercion Points.

Sandestin Invocation: 64.

“Cunctation” (stops time around caster).

“Interpellation” (grants target  +1 action point for non-attack actions during combat).

“Prorogation” (suspends aging for a number of years equal to Invocation skill).

“Restoration” (healing spell).

“Sustenation” (permits survival without food, water, air, or warmth).   

Noteworthy Equipment

Lute made by famous Fairy luthier Fendair (+15 to Music & Fairy Magic when used).

Soaps and oils for proper bathing.

Two sets of decent clothing (all black).

Mace and shield.

Scraps of armour (2 armour points – covers 4 locations).

To Do List: Middle-earth and Greyhawk campaign notes; a new Lyonesse character

I’ve sadly neglected this blog over the past two months. But I have not been (entirely) idle – indeed, I’ve been quite busy running my two campaigns. 

[The Witch-King by Liz Danforth]

One of them – Against the Witch-King – wrapped up two weeks ago. Or more precisely, it’s now on hiatus. A suitably epic conclusion – an audience with King Arvedui of Arthedain, following the completion of many important tasks – has brought things to an end for the time being. But the campaign will resume nine years later in “game time” – after a (hopefully not as long) break in “real time.” The final session of the current part of the campaign took place in the spring of 1965 of the Third Age; the campaign will resume (after the break) in early 1974. The characters all accomplished what they set out to do (a year earlier in game time; over two years ago in real time). But, as those of you familiar with the history of Middle-earth likely know, things become a bit “intense” in Eriador in 1974! So, while I need a rest from running this campaign, I’m determined to resume it at some point to see how Angmar’s final assault plays out.

Depressingly, I’ve fallen far behind in my campaign logs for both of the campaigns that I’ve been running over the past two-plus years, and especially for my Middle-earth one. Instead of writing entries as detailed as the first two for the Against the Witch-King campaign (1 and 2), I’ll try to write a brief overview of what happened, something like what I did when I encountered a similar problem (falling hopelessly behind) in my earlier Middle-earth campaign.

I really don’t like leaving my campaign logs unfinished! Even a truncated summary of what happened in the adventures is better than just leaving it incomplete – for my own future recollection, if nothing else, although I hope that at least a few other people might find the logs interesting. 

This thought reminds me that I never finished the log for the Greyhawk Classics campaign that I ran a few years ago. While running that campaign made me realize that I rather dislike the 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons system, the role-playing aspects of the campaign were nonetheless a lot of fun, and I really should explain how everything wrapped up – including why ultimately the characters never actually went into the Temple of Elemental Evil.

[A modified portion of Darlene's famous World of Greyhawk map.]

The Against the Witch-King group will soon be starting a new campaign, using the Lyonesse system and setting (the system is an adaptation of Mythras). I’m quite excited about this – not only because it’ll be nice to have the opportunity to be a player again (while still running my other campaign), but also because Jack Vance’s Lyonesse trilogy is one of my all-time favourites. I’m presently putting the final touches on a rather fun and intriguing character – a former apprentice of the dreadful wizard Tamurello. If you’re curious about the game, here is a brief interview with one of the authors (and my GM) Lawrence Whitaker. 

[The wizard Tamurello from the Lyonesse RPG book]

Vancian times ahead!

Against the Starmaster: Playtest materials available

I thought that I would mention that there is a space opera version of Against the Darkmaster coming out. It’s called (somewhat unsurprisingly) Against the Starmaster.

A set of playtest rules, sample player characters, and an introductory scenario are available here.

Following a quick skim, I think that it looks rather cool! (But I'm not a huge fan of the font.) Annoyingly, I’m rather busy at the moment (I’m editing a couple of books, revising a paper, and getting ready to teach again after Labour Day). But once I have a chance to read over these materials, I’ll post some thoughts here.

May the Force … er, Aether be with you!

Mythic Armorica for Mythras

The Mythic Britain series for Mythras has a new instalment: Mythic Armorica. (I first mentioned this supplement – and included a preview of its maps – back in December.)

Here’s the description from the Design Mechanism site:

Across the Narrow Sea separating Britain from Europe, lie the three kingdoms of Armorica: Poher, Benoic, and Broërec. And across the heartland, the mighty, enchanted Forest of Broceliande.

Settled a 150 years ago by Britons from the mainland, they displaced the native Gauls and created their own lands. But now Armorica is a land under siege. The Franks and the Visigoths fight on the eastern border and threaten to make Armorica their battleground. Meanwhile, the bishops of Armorica fight a war against pagan practice, and under their urging, Broceliande is shrinking every year. Finally, a dark force is working from within, waging a covert war of conquest against the three kingdoms.

Mythic Britain: Armorica is a campaign expansion for the Mythic Britain setting. You will need both Mythras and Mythic Britain to make full use of this book.

With Mythic Britain, Logres, Waterlands, Gwynedd, and now Armorica, Mythras has the ultimate “historical fantasy” British setting for role-playing campaigns!

Trail of Cthulhu 2e and Broken Empires

I try not to back funding projects (on Kickstarter and the like) that often these days. This is because I backed a few in recent years that I now kind of regret (e.g., Shadowdark, Dolmenwood, Old School Essentials, a bestiary from Goodman Games, and a couple of other things, the details of which I've already largely forgotten).  As they trickle in (many of my recent "regrets" still linger in the ether somewhere) I find myself sighing and -- after briefly flipping through them -- putting the print products on my shelf and the PDFs into my ever-expanding dropbox of RPGs. 

To be clear, the products themselves might be fine or even quite good. For instance, Shadowdark certainly has some interesting mechanics, some of which I'm on the fence about (but which, I concede, very well may be vindicated in practice). But the cold hard truth of the matter is that I just don't see using this game that much (if at all) in the near future, as well as the other RPG products that have trickled in over the past few years (e.g., OSE). 

Having said all that, there are two funding projects that I have decided to back, albeit at a reasonably scaled back level (for me). 

The first is the second edition of Trail of Cthulhu. Now, I already have a surfeit of Cthulhu Mythos material (including ToC, but mostly Call of Cthulhu books, some 7th edition but mainly material for earlier editions). However, I've played a couple of ToC scenarios and thought quite highly of them. Indeed, one was probably the best "one shot" horror scenario I've ever gone through. So I will be backing the current Trail of Cthulhu 2e funding campaign because of its innovative treatment of the setting and the high quality of the scenarios. I also love the ToC art. (Plus, I had a distinctly unpleasant "experience" with some of the "new Chaosium" folk around 2016-2017 -- no one involved with 7e CoC but rather the Moon Design folks -- which has put me off their products ever since. Hence, I'm happy to go elsewhere for new Cthulhu material.) 

If you're curious about Trail of Cthulhu, check out the 2e Quickstart.

The other project that I'm backing is the Broken Empires FRPG (albeit, again, at a lower level than I have backed projects in the past). I'm curious about the system, as Mythras is one of its main influences, and it aims to be a "sim-lite" game. This means, roughly, that the game falls within the "simulationist" camp -- that is, it is a game in the mold of Mythras, RuneQuest, Harnmaster, Rolemaster, Middle-earth Roleplaying, Against the Darkmaster, and the like. These kinds of games (which generally belong to the "d100" BRP and RM "families") vividly and precisely describe, via their mechanics, what happens in the game world, with hit locations (in Mythras and related systems) or critical hits (in Rolemaster, MERP, VsD, etc.), different levels of success for skill rolls, and so forth. My tastes, I've (re)discovered in recent years, definitely lie in the simulationist region of RPGs. But Broken Empires also claims to be "lite" by achieving a high degree of "simulation" with fewer mechanics, dice rolls, and calculations. I'm frankly a little sceptical about the latter claim, but the game overall looks interesting enough for me to want to include it in my collection. I'm especially intrigued by the "free form" magic system (roughly, there are no "spells," but instead spell-casters describe what effects they are trying to realize, and they draw upon their relevant skills in order to do so).  

These are somewhat niche RPG interests, I suppose, but I thought that I would mention these projects in case others might be interested in them.

Mythras Imperative Contest

From the recent Design Mechanism newsletter:

We’re excited to launch a brand-new competition for all Mythras enthusiasts and budding creators! 

The TDM ORC Imperative Contest celebrates the ORC open license, which includes the Mythras Imperative and Classic Fantasy Imperative rules released under it. Entrants are invited to send a submission between 2,000 and 10,000 words that creatively utilizes the Imperative rules and one or more assets (a descriptive paragraph, an image, or a map) that we provide.

The submission can be whatever you can imagine: a scenario, a setting module, a mini-campaign, or anything in-between. Entrants can pick any genre, any time period, or create something completely new and unique.

To view all the requirements, check out the Submissions Pack.

What do you stand to gain? Let’s talk about the prizes!

First Prize gives the winner a finished document they can immediately distribute for sale if you choose. This means that the TDM Production Team takes your submission, edits, proofreads, crafts a layout, and equips it with interior and cover art for the winner’s idea to make it a reality.

Those who manage second and third places will get various levels of artwork that help get you on your path to completion of your project.

The TDM ORC Imperative Competition is now open! You must be a Newsletter subscriber to enter with a chance of winning one of these glorious prizes! You can subscribe to the Newsletter on our website https://thedesignmechanism.com/

So, get your thinking caps on, dig out those old notebooks, and brainstorm with your gaming group! 

Here’s your chance to create some fantastic material using Mythras Imperative and the ORC License that gets that professional touch.

I’ll add that submissions due by 30 September 2024. Good luck to all who enter!

Somewhat related, this post does a good job of comparing Mythras and Basic Roleplaying (versions of both of which are now available with the ORC license).

The new Mythras Imperative is now available!

I recently mentioned that a new version of Mythras Imperative was in the works. Well … it’s here!

The Design Mechanism’s announcement (at the RPG Pub):

The new, revised, expanded, ORC-licensed edition of Mythras Imperative is now available – just in time for Christmas.

While the game and mechanics are fundamentally the same, we've tweaked a few rules, made errata corrections, and fully integrated rules for firearms, vehicles, new character creation options, and sample creatures (with a complete list of traits to make them worthy opponents).

Most important of all, Mythras Imperative is licensed under ORC, meaning that 3rd party creators can freely use, adapt and build upon the Mythras Imperative foundation for their own unique d100 games, supplements and adventures. Combine Mythras Imperative with its sister book, Classic Fantasy Imperative, or any other ORC-licensed open gaming system.

So whether you want gritty fantasy or mythic historical, Pulp-era spies or cinematic superheroes, Mythras Imperative has you covered. Simple to learn, simple to play, but with a surprising depth that is the result of many, many years of refinement.

The PDF version is free to download. The Print on Demand version is $24.99 (black and white, softcover, 80 pages). A POD version for Drivethru customers will follow later.

TDM Store

Lulu Store

DTRPG

As I’ve mentioned many times before at this blog, Mythras is the game that I’ve played the most over the past dozen years (I include its immediate ancestors, RuneQuest 6 and Mongoose Runequest II, within the ‘Mythras’ category, as they’re all essentially the same game, written by the same people). I don’t write about it as much as I do some other games, primarily because I don’t run (“Game Master”) Mythras. I tend to write more about games that I’ve run in the past, am running currently, or plan to run in the future. But if I wasn’t so fortunate as to belong to a group with a couple of excellent Mythras GMs – one of whom is the co-author of the system, the other the co-author of the Mythic Babylon book – I’d definitely be running Mythras myself. 

Anyhow, if you’re still unfamiliar with Mythras, I recommend checking out Mythras Imperative, as it’s a nice, lean presentation of the system, easily readable within an afternoon.

Mythras Imperative enters the Age of the Orc

The Classic Fantasy Imperative variant of Mythras already is offered under the ‘ORC’ license. Soon an expanded version of Mythras Imperative will be offered under the ORC license as well!

Here’s a brief description:

This edition of Mythras Imperative has additional rules for character creation, firearms, and vehicles. Like Classic Fantasy Imperative, it is completely open using the ORC license and will have an accompanying SRD. The PDF is completely free, and there will be a Print on Demand edition for those wanting a physical copy.

The Design Mechanism hopes to release the new version of Mythras Imperative in December.

Classic Fantasy Imperative coming soon

Above is the cover for the Design Mechanism’s forthcoming Classic Fantasy Imperative. (Classic Fantasy is a supplement for Mythras that gives the game a strong “first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” flavour, while retaining most of what makes Mythras a great system.) Classic Fantasy Imperative (CFI ) will be released under the “ORC” license, which was created in reaction to WotC’s (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to change the OGL back in January.

Here is Loz’s description of the book (from this post):  

Classic Fantasy Imperative is actually pretty extensive. It's a complete rule-set, but we have redacted some classes, races, spells, and other things from Classic Fantasy to retain the utility of the core book (and the upcoming Unearthed Companion). However, CFI does take characters up to Rank 5, and offers a great deal of material to allow you to see and play the game to its full extent without necessarily needing the Unearthed Companion or the core rules. What you won't find in CFI are extended spell descriptions, monster stats, additional classes or races, and a great deal of cool extended material.

Classic Fantasy Imperative has two aims: introduce new players to Mythras and d100 gaming using familiar tropes and concepts from D&D and Pathfinder; and give third party creators a solid, comprehensive, open system to build their own games, and merge Classic Fantasy and Mythras material with other ORC-powered sources (like the fresh edition of BRP). In short, we're opening up Mythras, and starting that journey with Classic Fantasy. Mythras Imperative will also be licensed under ORC too, to ensure full consistency across our range. However, the core rules - Mythras Core, CF core, will not be ORC. If people want to license material found in our full rulebooks, we'll still have the Mythras Gateway to allow access in much the same way we do now (although we'll be relaxing some of the conditions).

If you have Classic Fantasy and Mythras already, you don't need CFI - however, there's still enough material in there to provide old hands with some additional, free information. It also makes a great intro for new players, so it'll be worth picking up. The SRD and PDF versions (the latter will receive layout treatment; the former will be a Word document) will be free, so no reason for you not to have a copy. 

I have Classic Fantasy and think it’s very cool. I’m definitely getting CFI when it comes out. If I wasn’t already playing in a Mythras campaign (as a player, I’ve participated primarily in Mythras campaigns over the past dozen years), I’d be tempted to use Classic Fantasy for my next campaign. 

The Laundry Files 2nd Edition is coming

It looks like Cubicle 7 is coming out with a second edition of their (now out-of-print) The Laundry Files RPG. (Flashback: here’s my post on the first edition from March 2010, including a brief note about the time I met author Charles Stross.)

Unlike the first edition, the new edition will not use the “d100” Basic Role-playing system (familiar from The Call of Cthulhu RPG). Instead, it will use something called “C7D6” – obviously a “d6” system of some sort. (Cubicle 7’s “clone” system for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons currently goes by the codename “C7D20.”)

Over the years I’ve read the first six novels of Stross’s “The Laundry Files” series (as well as the stories, “The Concrete Jungle,” “Equoid,” and Overtime”). I last read one about five years ago (The Annihilation Score). Apparently, there are now thirteen novels in the series! Since I enjoyed (to varying degrees) the ones that I’ve read so far, so I hope eventually to read the others. 

The novels’ setting is a good one for a Mythos-themed RPG, I think, as the characters are agents working for the secret British government organization “Q-Division” (“The Laundry”), and hence charged with protecting the UK (and the world) from occult and Mythos threats. However, the novels contain a fair amount of dry humour, which I suspect may be difficult to translate into the game (probably best just to let any humour emerge organically in play).

I ran a fair amount of Call of Cthulhu back during “the teens,” including two short campaigns and a few one-shots (see here and here). My focus and interest have drifted away from Lovecraftian stuff in recent years, but perhaps they’ll drift back again in the future. In any case, I’ll definitely check out the new edition of The Laundry Files once it’s available. 

Against the Darkmaster – June sale

 

To celebrate its 5^th anniversary, for the month of June Open Ended Games is offering the PDF of the Against the Darkmaster rulebook at 50 percent off.

I'm not sure if this is part of the same sale, but physical versions of the core rules and GM screen are available as a "bundle" for 75 USD (instead of 90 USD) here.

 

I’m a big fan of this game – indeed, I wish I was running it right now! 

If you’d like to learn more about VsD, the quick start rules are available for free ("pay what you want") here. In addition, here is a review, and here is another, and here is one more. 

 

(The illustration above is a draft of the cover, found at the artist’s website.)

Classic Fantasy (Mythras) on sale for 99 cents

 

I received this notification from the good people at the Design Mechanism yesterday:

 

Between now and the end of January 2023, we're offering the Classic Fantasy supplement in PDF for Mythras and Mythras Imperative at the amazing price of just $0.99. For less than a dollar you can access the whole rules-set designed to bring the Old School dungeoneering experience to d100 roleplaying, complete with classes, character ranks, monsters, treasure, and everything else needed to scratch that dungeon delving itch.

 

Classic Fantasy includes:

 

• 11 Character Classes
• 7 Character races
• Full rules for Passions as Alignments
• Battle-Board combat
• Arcane and Divine spells for Ranks 1 to 3
• 40+ monsters
• 100+ magic items
• Deities and Cults

 

Watch out also for Classic Fantasy Imperative - a free introductory rulebook that will be launched under an open license and accompanied by its own SRD.

 

You can take advantage of this deal either at DrivethruRPG or the Design Mechanism’s store.

 

As I’ve said many times here before, I’m a huge fan of Mythras. (Indeed, as a player, it's my main game these days.) Looking through Classic Fantasy, it’s remarkable how well it translates the main elements and overall ethos of old school AD&D into Mythras terms. I certainly would consider using CF for future “D&D-style” campaigns!

 

Mythras News: Supes and Polynesia

There’s a new member of the Mythras RPG family: the superhero role-playing game Destined. It’s available now at the Design Mechanism’s new home store, and will become available at Lulu and DrivethruRPG on the 23^rd of April.

 

Also, another Mythic Earth setting book is in production: Mythic Polynesia. I don’t know when it’ll be available, but the cover looks rather cool:

 

 

I’ve probably played more Mythras (including its predecessors RQ6 and MRQII) than any other role-playing game over the past eleven years. (By coincidence, I vaguely recall meeting Loz in early spring 2011…) I’ve played in the Young Kingdoms (Elric’s world), Mythic Britain, the Luther Arkwright multiverse, and (currently) Mythic Babylon. Soon I’ll be taking part in a Mountains of Madness campaign (converted to Mythras). I can’t recommend the game highly enough!

Mythras and Against the Darkmaster News

I thought that I would pass along some news concerning two of my favourite role-playing games and the companies that produce them.

 

First, The Design Mechanism – publisher of the Mythras game and many excellent settings for it, including the delightful Lyonesse (which actually includes all of the necessary rules as well as the setting) – has a new online store. 

If you bought any PDFs at the old DM store it may be a good idea to download them before the end of April. 

 

The second bit of news concerns Against the Darkmaster, published by Open Ended Games.

There are a number of Against the Darkmaster things in the works, as outlined here. Of special note: a reprint of the core rules and a Player’s Handbook version of the rules. Given the overwhelming length (and weight!) of the core book, a volume with only the rules needed by players should be very helpful. Thankfully, the “VsD PHB” will be available in both PDF and print at DrivethruRPG.

Cheers!

Crypts and Things on sale

Until midnight (GMT) on Monday the 21st (February 2022), there is a sale at the D101 Games web store. Everything is 25 percent off if you enter the code "shakespear" when reviewing the cart before checking out.

 

A golden opportunity to obtain the premier swords and sorcery role-playing game Crypts and Things!

 

By Crom!