Free OSR - Castles & Crusades Players Handbook (7th Printing)

Castles & Crusades is one of the granddaddies of the OSR. I often refer to it as proto-OSR, as it still firmly clung to its 3rd edition roots while striving to emulate classic play. In any case, C&C is an excellent choice of system if one is looking to play something that feels much like AD&D 1e. You can use most AD&D books (DMG, MM, FF, etc.) with few or no conversions.

The Castles & Crusades Players Handbook 7th Printing is available in PDF at PWYW pricing. You can grab it for free, and you can always tip later if you feel so inclined.

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Humble Bundle - MegaDungeon Bundle from Goodman Games

While it says, MegaDungeon Bundle for 5e & DCC RPG on the tin, some other gems (and refuse) are thrown into the mix.

There are some 3x-era gems (Castle WhiteRock!) and some 4e clunkers. Oh, and some Castles and Crusades releases. Oh, and Dark Tower!

The DCC RPG stuff is top-notch. I own much of it, so speaking from experience.

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Humble Bundle - Lost Works of Gygax (D20, 5e, OSE, C&C, CoC, S&W, 1e, SN)

There's a little bit of everything in the Lost Works of Gygax Bundle at Humble Bundle, and I mean everything. 

From Gary Gygax himself, there's Castle Zagyg: Yrggsburgh, Castle Zagyg, East Mark Gazetteer, Necropolis, Hall of Many Planes, Gord, The Canting Crew, World Building, and Living Fantasy.

From Luke and Ernie Gygax, we have The Lost City of Gaxmoor.

From Ernie Gygax, we have The Marmoreal Tomb.

From Luke Gygax, there are Tales from Okkorim (1-8), The Blighted Lands (1-3), The Chentofi Series (1-3), The Dread from Lake Geneva (for CoC 1+2), The Trouble at Loch Jineeva, Undercaverns of Gaxmoor, and Weapons of Gaxmoor.

Oh, and 28 other titles from various creators. Phew!

Gather up your party for an endless adventure with the Lost Works of Gygax Bundle compatible with a myriad of systems! This TTRPG explorer’s kit contains rulebooks, sourcebooks, and campaign resources for Marmoreal Tomb, Gary Gygax's Necropolis, and more. Get everything you need to embark on an epic journey with your friends, and help support the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society with your purchase!

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Indiegogo - Forest of Spores (OSE, C&C, & 5e)

The hamlet of Jensenville woke to a forest of mushrooms that sprang up overnight right outside their village. What's worse, the mushrooms are expanding, absorbing homes and building into their midst. The villagers need help before they are overrun. And that won't be long given how fast new mushrooms keep sprouting up.

What terror awaits in the fungus forest? Heroes are needed to venture inside...but will they return?

Forest of Spores is Rachel Marsh's first work for Frog God Games. It's funded on Indigogo and then some, and Frog God Games has a solid history of publishing its projects on time.

Forest of Spores is 12 bucks in PDF and 25 in POD and PDF.

Here's hoping your heroes are just what the residents of Jensenville need! 

Will they push into the forest's depths where fungi grow wild? Where other creatures wait to stop their mission? And how will they react to the mushroom-people making a new home in the dark nooks of the forest, completely unaware of the villagers' plight?

And worse still, something else waits in the forest, a threat to humans and mushroom-people alike. It's already killed a number of the mushroom-people, and it is more than happy to welcome the adventurers (aka fresh meat) into its killing ground.

Forest of Spores can be played as a standalone adventure, or it can serve as a lead-in to further investigations into the mysterious and dangerous Under Realms.

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Deal of the Day - Castles & Crusades Castle Keepers Guide 4th Printing

I really like Castles & Crusades. It marked my return to gaming in general, and it's how I found the OSR. It's essentially AD&D 1e, built of the 3rd edition SRD.

Today's Deal of the Day is Castles & Crusades Castle Keepers Guide 4th Printing from Troll Lord Games. Normally 20.99 in PDF, until tomorrow morning the Castle Keeper's Guide is on sale for 8.40

The Castle Keepers Guide includes a host of new material for the role playing enthusiast; from world creation, to dungeon designs, managing non-player characters, character attributes at high levels, spell use and cost, equipment its use and wastage, the tumult of storms, from warfare to combat, monsters, treasure, death and more. The Castle Keepers Guide provides the CK and the Player with a host of new tools for their use; tools designed to enhance play, not hinder it; designed to be malleable from gaming table to gaming table.

Table of Contents

• Expanding the Character: In this chapter we explore new attribute modifiers, god like attributes, beauty as an attribute, creating new races and role playing examples.
• Magic: Digging into the magic using classes with spellbooks, starting spells, components, pricing magical components, playing without components, wands and holy symbols, illusion magic as healing, buying, selling and trading spells, scroll use, non caster scroll use and so much more.
• Expanding Equipment: A fresh look at equipment includes types of carrying items, stabling, costs of lodging and meals, a complete illustrated study of wagons with costs, speed and cargo, a similar treatment of boats and ships, general equipment and a new look at backpacks (abbreviated from the Adventurers Backpack).
• NPCs: A complete breakdown and explanation of the three types of NPCs (Adherents, Hirelings and Henchmen), how to use them, what their skills are, tracking loyalty, hiring them permanent or part time and developing their personalities.
• World Building: A guide on building your own world, beginning with planetary design and exploring everything from plate tectonics to weathering. Ten different types of climates are discussed and a host of biomes. Terrain, weather, movement charts and historical ages are all covered in this chapter. A complete how to will get you started on your world building journey.
• The City: In creating urban environments we explore populations, governments, culture, economic systems, economic systems, cost of goods and bartering, social stratification, types of religions and how to integrate them. Also it explores the types of settlements from the single dwelling to the metropolis, fully illustrated. Occupations, construction and criminal codes round out the chapter.
• Dungeons: Beginning with a study of light, temperature, humidity and movement underground it expands in to caves and types of caves (erosional, solution caves, coastal and so on), to terminology of both caves and underground structures: dungeons. A look at ecosystems, building dungeons, tunnels, gases and traps rounds the chapter out. Everything you need to know to build a complete dungeon.
• Air and Water Adventures: Chapter 8 allows you to expand you adventure into heights its never been. Movement in the air and under water as well as combat, combat maneuvers, spells, magic underwater and monsters with aerial combat ratings.
• Equipment Wastage: Role playing equipment is a wonderful tool that every CK should learn to do. From equipment wear and tear to destruction in combat, from both mundane, magical and monstrous means (what does dragon fire do to +1 armor?). This section is filled with examples and charts to help you along.
• Land as Treasure: In this chapter we explore using land as treasure, where noble titles mark the characters and NPCs with title, rank, stipends, men at arms, offerings and so much more. Broken down by class it allows for the master of the druid's grove and the king or queen of vast realms. Rank/title is assigned by level if that is the direction desired.
• Going to War: Here we explore mass combat and introduce a system fully explored in Fields of Battle that allows your table to conduct massive battles with minis, chits or home made pieces. From morale to siege engines it covers the vast array of encounters that afflict armies in the field. It touches on sea battles as well.
• Monsters: Here the most common monsters are discussed, their ecological niches, geological niches, and geographic regionalization. From arrow hawks to ogre magi the host of monsters supplies the game master with a mountain of material to enhance game play and offer a lead into other monster development. Basic encounter tables serve to get you started.
• The Future: An introduction to the Siege Engine as it applies in a host of different game genres: space age, horror fiction, pulp noir, post apocalyptical and more. It includes guidelines on how to introduce your standard classes into these genres with little effort. Also find guns, canon and laser weapons, all the tools needed to launch a game in a new genre.
• Advancing the Game: A complete break down for starting and continuing RPG sessions. This chapter is dedicate to novice and experienced game masters. Addressing such issues as game balance, leveling, mood, tone, as well as awarding experience and managing expectations.
• The Siege Engine: Here we break apart the Siege Engine. The extremely simple game mechanic is driven by a variety of processes and game design theory. Learn how to expand, change or mold the Engine to your game and table. It further explores attributes and their never end value at the table.
• Treasure: A new look at an old subject. Exploring treasure as a backdrop and role playing tool from quests to unusual coins. Here we discuss extraordinary items, precious metals, gems and more. It includes such subjects as class restrictions and hiring magical services. Scrolls, silver items, destroying and purchasing magic items, treasure is explored for top to bottom.
• Combat: Here we explore the nature of combat at the table, how to run combat and how to pace it. It also expands the idea of inter personal combat with critical hit tables, critical fumble tables and host of combat maneuvers as well as attribute checks, line of sight, ranged, damage reduction and a host of other optional elements.
• Skill Packages: In skill packages we demonstrate the versatility of the game by paving the way for the CK to allow players extraordinary skills that go beyond the class and race skills outlined in the Players Handbook. From orc hunters to elves with enhanced empathy. Furthermore it opens a world of secondary class skills such as armorer, hunter etc.
• Character Death: Lastly we explore the deaths of characters, both the loved and unloved. We look at the impact of their death and explore ways in which they day from combat to disease. It includes a system for Luck Points, Hero Points and more.

 

The Castle Keepers Guide is a tool box with almost limitless optional rules, ideas, concepts and theories. A tool box you will want at your table, no matter what game you play.

 

Castle Zagyg is Back - The Town of Yggsburgh is the First Available in PDF (and Print)

It was announced near the end of August that many of Gary Gygax's works that were released (and later pulled from distribution) well over a decade ago were returning to distribution.

Castles & Crusades Castle Zagyg Yggsburgh is the first of those releases. It can be grabbed in Print plus PDF at the Troll Lords Store ($65), and in PDF from DTRPG (19.99 - 5 bucks cheaper than the TLG store).

Beneath the shadows of the ancient, dreaded Castle Zagyg stands the fortified town of Yggsburgh. Its stout walls and cobbled ways give ample refuge to those bold and worthy adventurers who come to the Four Tors to plunder the dungeon deeps of the Mad Mage. Beyond the protective covering of the town’s walls and the deep waters of the Urt and Nemo Rivers, lie a vast rolling countryside from the Glittering Knobs,the Uplands to the Lonely Valley.

Enter the environs of that most dread of magi, test your mettle and make ready for the heroes forge that is Castle Zagyg!

The book you hold in your hands is the Setting for the famed Castle Zagyg, the monstrous dungeons of legend.

More than a Campaign Setting!

This book consists of the town of Yggsburgh and its Environs, which include the town of Garham and 60 different geographic locales, each with their own peculiarities and adventures. The map charts over 1500 square miles of adventuring terrain, allowing the inclusion of Yggsburgh and Environs into almost any fantasy campaign setting. Each geographic locale has one or more adventures associated with it, offering hundreds of different plots, themes and escapades, players can take their characters on.

What to Expect!

• 1 Full Color, fold-out, 24" x 30" Map of the Environs of Yggsburgh
• 1 Full Color, fold-out, 24" x 30" Map of the Town of Yggsburgh
• Nine Interior Maps of Points of Interest
• 600+ Non‑Players Characters
• 30+ Random Encounter and Event Tables
• 50+ Random Encounters, offering hundreds of adventure venues
• Orders of Battle for everything from Goblins to Knights
• New, Monsters, Magic Items & Spells for the Castles & Crusades® Role Playing Game
• Crime and Punishment for Yggsburgh

Over 1000 Adventures and Adventure ideas!

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Frog God Games Sale - 50%-60% Off Nearly Everything! Early Black Friday is Here!

Frog God Games is running some Black Friday Sales at DTRPG and their own Frog God storefront and the price cuts are DEEP. 

Everything Frog God Games has in digital format at DriveThruRPG is  60% off. All of the new releases from Necromancer Games are 60% off at DriveThruRPG.

Over at the Frog God Webstore, the discount is 50% off print and PDF prices using the coupon code: MOST-ORCUS-TIME-2022

Did I mention Frog God Games is also offering a holiday-themed freebie? Grab The Terrible Yule Cat for OSE, C&C, and 5e for free!

So, some of my picks are, in no particular order and no preference to the storefront (get your print copies directly from the Frogs and your PDF only from DriveThruRPG)

Lost Lands (Setting Book) - one of the best fantasy settings available, bar none. System neutral, so run it with S&W, OSE, Dungeon Fantasy, The Fantasy Trip - whatever you desire.

Tehuatl (Setting Book) - a mesoamerican themed setting, it is very well done and does a great job showing respect to the setting. Like the Lost Lands setting, it is system neutral.

Rappan Athuk (mega-dungeon) - a timeless mega-dungeon. Available in the "classic" S&W version or the new shiny 5e version, either way, you can't go wrong.

Monstrosities (monster book) - for S&W, every creature has a hook or mini-adventure attached to it. If you don't already have a copy, snag it now.

Moon Daughter's Fate (adventure)- for S&W and 5e, Moon Daughter's Fate has its root in traditional Chinese folklore, not something that you find all that often in an RPG adventure.

The Midderlands (setting) - this is the 5e version of Glynn Seal's fantastic faux Britan setting.

How Orcus Stole Christmas (adventure) - James Spahn at his best. Available in S&W, PF1e, and 5e flavors.

Much, much more ;)

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It's Official - Troll Lord Games and Frog God Games are Teaming Up!

I heard about this a few days ago, but it wasn't for me to break the news. I received this email late this afternoon from Troll Lord Games:

Troll Lord Games and Frog God Games are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement to officially support the Castles & Crusades role-playing game via Frog God Games products.

Troll Lord Games has published the C&C RPG since its first printing was released in 2005.

Frog God Games will support the C&C game with supplements such as adventures, bestiaries, modules, and the like. Their first venture into publishing C&C products happened this autumn with their IndieGoGo campaign, “Halloween Double Feature.” The IGG campaign promoted the release of two adventures for the C&C game — Fungus God from Outer Space and Heresy of Rot. Fungus God from Outer Space is authored by Casey W. Christofferson, who is well known to C&C fans due to his many supplements written for C&C and 5e under TLG’s banner, especially Mythical Companions, Free City of Eskadia, and his Haunted Highlands series of adventures. Heresy of Rot is co-authored by Levi Combs and John Maguire, two more established names in the Old School Renaissance (OSR) of which C&C is a progenitor. Both products are now available on DriveThruRPG.com in PDF format with Print-on-Demand versions to follow soon.

Steve Chenault (CEO of Troll Lord Games) said, “Bill and I have been friends for over two decades. We have collaborated on countless projects and spent many an hour discussing projects, industry, and news at conventions from Vegas to Indianapolis. He is one of my closest friends in the industry and I trust him implicitly.

Frog God Games (and Necromancer Games), with Bill at the helm, has created some of the most dynamic, fun-filled, action-packed adventures for the RPG community (Vampires and Liches for the win!), so the idea of seeing them converted and produced for Castles & Crusades, our flagship product, is beyond exciting. Everyone here at TLG is pumped about this, as these adventures will fill some long-neglected holes in our adventuring ranks. I cannot wait to see these hit the shelves and tables! And personally, it will be great to work with Bill and his crew again!”

Fans of both companies should be on the lookout for more products from Frog God Games that will support their favorite RPG. Chatter regarding the venture was made public in September 2022 via Troll Lord Games’ Twitch channel, where they played gracious host to a trio of members of Frog God Games.

 

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Free OSR - Castles & Crusades Players Handbook & Fiction [BUNDLE]

My doorway back to old-school gaming was Castles & Crusades, and you were able to get the C&C Player's Handbook for less than 10 bucks a copy from Buy.com back in the day. That was back with the first printing of Castles &Crusades.

Today, you can get the 7th printing of the Castles & Crusades Players Handbook in a bundle, along with a short selection of C&C-themed fiction in PDF for the price of FREE. As in the price of air.

You could, alternatively, pay 20 bucks for the C&C Players Handbook PDF and forgo the fiction, but I think free is an even fairer price ;)

We’ve moved to the 7th printing of the Castles & Crusades Players Handbook. A pillar of the table top RPG industry, Castles & Crusades embodies the spirit of the old-school gamer with the easy to use modern mechanics. The Players Handbook has all you need to get started in a wild ride of adventure! It’s easy to learn attribute-based rules system allows players to choose among 13 archetypal character classes and 7 races to create their characters. Spells, equipment, fast-paced combat rules, and all essential information needed to play a game of Castles & Crusades is in this book. Dice and Monsters & Treasure sold separately.

A Houseless God and Other Tales   The landless knight, Eurich Gunshoff, had no master, but served those in need, sometimes for money, but mostly for the honor of it. He went hungry often, slept in the wilds, endured the rain and snow, the heat and wind. He fought creatures, great and small. It was a hard life. Or so he thought, until he passed beneath the eaves of the Darkenfold Forest. A collection of short stories woven together by one of the creators of Castles & Crusades, follow the adventures of Eurich Gunshoff, Count of Kleaves.

 

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Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook - 7th Print FREE in PDF (and more goodies)

So, I was wandering around the Troll Lord Games website and I notice that the Castles & Crusades 7th Print Player's Handbook was free in PDF format. I literally had a Holy Shit moment, so I snagged it up.

There are actually two different covers available, both for free.

https://www.trolllord.com/tlgstore/#!/Players-Handbook-7th-Pr-FREE-Digital/p/89198209/category=119538267 

https://www.trolllord.com/tlgstore/#!/The-Players-Handbook-FREE-PDF/p/89198194/category=24093125

Also for free is the Castles & Crusades Quickstart, covering the core for classes through sixth level.

Through the end of the month, the Castles & Crusades basic ruleset for Fantasy Grounds is available for free.

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The Tavern.  

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or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

Humble Bundle - Black Friday RPG Bonanza (C&C, DCC RPG, 5e, Bunnies & Burrows)

Sometimes it's the little things that please us most. Other times, it's the large things that make us smile. Today, I'm happy and smiling because of the amazing selection of RPG titles in the Black Friday RPG Bonanza Humble Book Bundle (say THAT five times fast ;)

In the Black Friday RPG Bonanza Bundle, we have releases from Troll Lord Games (C&C Core rules and more, as well as 5e World of Airde adventures), Frog God Games (Bunnies & Burrow Core book and more, as well as 5e), Goodman Games (DCC RPG Core Rules and adventures), and Kobold Press (5e and System Neutral).

The Black Friday RPG Bonanza Bundle is 25 bucks for all 41 products shown above and below.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern. 

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar