Kickstarter - Back to BasiX Issue #12 Fanzine (OSR)

I have every issue of Back to BasiX but nearly missed this one. Somehow I missed Thom's announcement that the Kickstarter was live!

Back to BasiX is an amazing series of old-school zines. I don't care if you missed the prior eleven, grab Back to BasiX #12 now!

Back to BasiX is a periodic fanzine focused on the B/X version of the world's most popular tabletop role-playing game. The zine premiered in June 2017 and ended its initial ten-issue run in September 2019, with an special eleventh issue released as part of a hardcover compilation in 2021. The zine was offered in PDF and print formats, and while PDFs are still accessible at DriveThruRPG.com, individual print issues are becoming harder to find. The hardcover print-on-demand is also still found at DriveThruRPG.com.

This project delivers the twelfth issue of that series.

Product Reviews

In each issue of Back to BasiX, an old-school product designed for the B/X system is reviewed. Covering everything from rule books to supplements and adventures, the fanzine’s creator takes readers through all the highlights of each product examined.

New products supporting the B/X system, mostly from independent creators, are also reviewed in each issue.

In issue 12, we review X2 Castle Amber by Tom Moldvay and New Big Dragon Games's Adventurers Wanted! (a North Texas RPGCon exclusive).

Interviews

Each issue of Back to BasiX features an interview with a legendary creator of the industry, from pivotal authors to fantastic artists. In previous issues, the voices of icons like Merle Rasmussen, Frank Mentzer, David Cook, Erol Otus, and Douglas Niles were highlighted, providing thoughts on the game, their influences, the industry, and much more.

In this issue, we chat with Gavin Norman of Necrotic Gnome.

New Content

Back to BasiX also provides a wealth of all-new content for readers to explore. Each issue includes one to three custom adventures of various B/X levels, as well as original monsters and magical items that are featured in those adventures. Each entry also includes a spell-casting article, taking readers through new and existing spells from B/X rule books.

This issue contains Part 2 of The Lost Recipe of the Drunken Zymurgist, an ongoing story that unfolds as both a playable, section-segmented adventure and a thrilling comic illustrated by Travis Hanson.

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Saving Throw fundraiser fanzine for James D. Kramer (of Usherwood Publishing)

James Kramer is probably best known for Usherwood Publishing, the most recent publisher of OSRIC.

Saving Throw — a fundraiser fanzine to help James D. Kramer

You may know Jim Kramer from his Usherwood Publishing modules & supplements, or his work helping produce works like OSRIC and Knockspell. You probably didn’t know Jim had multiple brain surgeries to remove tumors, and the battle has gotten much harder. To help Jim and his family during this difficult time, a group of his friends, collaborators, and first edition enthusiasts banded together to make this fundraiser fanzine, where all royalties go directly to Jim and his family.

This 60+ page issue of Saving Throw contains:

• Introduction by Ron Redmond
• Island Tables - random generation and inspiration tool by Steve Smith aka “EOTB”
• Sorcerer’s Stone - dungeon level by Keith Sloan
• Trolls of the Simpolo Swamps - leech-mated trollish variations by Joseph Browning
• Perladon Manor - adventure module by Gabor Lux
• By The Runes - fiction by Dan Rasaiah
• Magic Item Intrinsic Material Values - variant magic item value rules by Guy Fullerton
• Goblin Garbug Cavalry - new monster by Andrew Hamilton
• The Tiled Labyrinth - mini-dungeon by Guy Fullerton
• Lotus Blossoms - magical and special properties of these exotic flora by Keith Sloan
• Burly the Baker - ready-to-use NPC and cantrips by Gary Francisco
• Darkworld Troll - new monster by Bryan Fazekas
• Offig’s Tomb - treasure map by Steve Smith aka “EOTB”
• Lizard Man Lair - outdoor module and new monsters by Steve Smith aka "EOTB"
• Mephitic Geysers of the Intaglio Rift - treasure map by Allan T. Grohe, Jr. (“grodog")
• The Mere Beneath - dungeon level by Guy Fullerton, Allan T. Grohe, Jr. (“grodog"), and Henry A. Grohe
• Sarendra’s Crew & Kelurrin’s Crew - ready-to-use NPC parties by Allan T. Grohe, Jr. (“grodog")
• Rescue from the Sanctuary of the Leopard Goddess - dungeon module by Matthew Riedel

Featuring illustrations by Jimm Johnson, James D. Kramer, Wind Lothamer, Gabor Lux, Denis McCarthy, Peter Szmer (soon), Del Teigeler, and Alex Zisch.

For the lucky price of $13, you get two treasure maps, three referee tools, five new spells, six modules, at least nine new monsters, twelve ready-to-use NPCs, and more. Plus the knowledge that your purchase helps a family during a difficult time.

Thank you!

Note: We plan to make a print version available soon. When it becomes available, will send drivethru coupon codes to everyone who purchased the pdf so they can get a print version at a discount.

Note #2: We are still in the process of gathering artwork for some of the articles, so don't be surprised by any of the blank spots. We will notify everybody when we update the pdf with new art, and you can download the latest version from your library.

Yes, there is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep The Tavern's lights on and will not affect the amount of monies that will go to the publisher and James.

Back to Basix Issue #1 - Now Trending as #2 Hottest Small Press at RPGNow - (B/X BECMI)

Thom Wilson / Throwi Games has released their OSR / B/X / BECMI fanzine, Back to Basix Issue #1 in PDF.

I have B2B in print, as it released at NTRPG Con and Thom was nice enough to hook me up and it is very nice. Popular demand convinced Thom to release it in PDF (as the print run was limited) and it is available for $1.50. Back to Basix is currently sitting at #2 on the Hottest Small Press sellers at RPGNow.

So, what's inside?

This fanzine celebrates, highlights and supports one of the original roleplaying game systems of the 1980's, the Basic and Expert editions of Dungeons & Dragons.  Each issue will provide or highlight content within the Holmes, Moldvay, Cook and Mentzer edited rules from TSR's Gary Gygax.  

Issue contains:  Product Spotlight, Spell Review, New Magic Items, New Monster, Short Encounter, Full page comic "Dungeon Delvers", and interview with Merle Rasmussen (of Top Secret fame).

Remember, all purchases made with The Tavern's affiliate links helps fund The Tavern. Its also good for karma and cures warts and arthritis. These statements have NOT been approved by the FDA.

Free Stocking Stuffer - Gongfarmer's Almanac - DCC RPG

Sometimes you just want to gift yourself. Its easier when the gifts you want are free. Such it is with the Gongfarmer's Almanac, a free in PDF DCC RPG Fanzine. Just because its free doesn't make it cheap. Grab an issue or a dozen see what you can squeeze into your OSR campaign.

Looking for an at cost, in print compilation? Lulu has you covered.

The Gongfarmer's Almanac is a Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG(TM) 'zine that is written, illustrated, edited and produced by the DCC RPG G+ Community.

Remember, all purchases using The Tavern's OBS affiliate links puts 5% of your purchase price into The Tavern's coffers. Don't leave that money on the table for the greedy corps! Tip your barman!  ;)

Crawling Under a Broken Moon - DCC RPG Fanzine / Setting - PDFs a Buck a Piece

Yep, its the week of Black Friday, which means sales are inevitable. Shield of Faith Studios has put the Crawling Under a Broken Moon fanzine on sale for a dollar each for the PDFs. That's half off an already amazing value at the usually two buck price.

So, what is Crawling Under a Broken Moon? A fanzine dedicated to bringing gonzo post apocalyptic content for the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG from Goodman Games.

There ya go. And it's damn good reading too.

Remember, all purchases using The Tavern's OBS affiliate links puts 5% of your purchase price into The Tavern's coffers. Don't leave that money on the table for the greedy corps! Tip your barman!  ;)

Announcement - Brave the Labyrinth is Back! (Labyrinth Lord fanzine - Spahn & Spahn ;)

BRAVE THE LABYRINTH IS BACK!

Small Niche Games and Barrel Rider Games have joined forces to announce the return of Brave the Labyrinth, the Labyrinth Lord™ OSR magazine! We're looking for submissions!

Brave the Labyrinth is a magazine published by Small Niche Games for the Labyrinth Lord™ roleplaying game community. It consists of fan-created material designed to cover all types of Labyrinth Lord™ and Advanced Edition Companion™ gaming.

*Submission Deadline*

Brave the Labyrinth is now accepting submissions for its fourth issue. The submission period for Issue #6 ends on October 1st. Any material submitted after this date will be considered for Issue #7.
*Submission Guidelines*

The following are the submission guidelines for the Brave the Labyrinth fanzine. Please read these guidelines carefully. If you have any questions, email smallnichegames -AT- gmail -DOT- com.

*What We Want*

New Classes: At least one new class or race/class complete with special abilities (if any), saving throw table, weapon/armor restriction, and detailed description of how and where they fit into the typical fantasy campaign world.

New Races: At least one new playable character race, complete with special abilities (if any), saving throw table, weapon/armor restriction, and detailed description of how and where they fit into the typical fantasy campaign world. This submission should be compatible with the Advanced Edition Companion™.

New Weapons and Equipment: At least five new weapons or pieces of equipment not found in any of the Labyrinth Lord™ core rulebooks. If exotic weapons (katanas, falchions, boomerangs) are submitted, we ask the author to stick a specific theme (Far Eastern, Middle Eastern, etc.).

New Magic Items: At least five new magic items not found in any of the Labyrinth Lord™ core rulebooks. Added background information on who and why the items were created is always a plus.
New Spells: At least five new spells not found in any of the Labyrinth Lord™ core rulebooks. Added background information on who and why the spells were created is always a plus.

New Monsters: At least three new monsters not found in any of the Labyrinth Lord™ core rulebooks. The monsters should be fully statted out and described using the same format found in the core rulebooks.

Optional Rules: Submit a house rule or two used in your game or a game that you've played. Tell us what the rule is, what rule it replaces, and the issues you had with the original rule that forced you to make the change.

Short Fiction: Brave the Labyrinth will occasionally publish fan-created short stories. These stories should be compatible with the medieval fantasy nature of Labyrinth Lord™ and comply with all Brave the Labyrinth submission guidelines.

Artwork and Maps: Any fantasy medieval artwork and any medieval-style maps (castles, dungeons, taverns, cave systems, etc.). Whether you're a professional artist or just like to doodle, show us what you can do.

Cartoons: 1-3 panel cartoons showcasing something amusing about the game we love. No serials at this time.

Locales: A shop, home, cave, ruin, or any other location that can be easily dropped into any settings. Submissions should contain a simple map, statted NPCs/monsters, and at least three adventure hooks.
Adventures: An adventure can be a dungeon, series or wilderness encounters, a trek through a city, or anything else the author desires. we're looking for 5 - 10 page adventures that can be easily dropped into any setting.

Anything Else: Did we miss something? If so, send us an email with your idea and if it's Labyrinth Lord™ related, we'll consider it!

*What We Don’t Want*

Brave the Labyrinth is a PG-13 publication so graphic depictions of sex and/or violence will not be accepted. Content that is felt to glorify or promote hatred against a specific (real world) gender, (real world) race, or (real world) culture will not be accepted. Pretty much anything else is open for submission, though.

*Rights*

Any content submitted to Brave the Labyrinth is assumed to be an original creation submitted by the sole author. Brave the Labyrinth accepts reprints for consideration, but prefers previously unpublished content. _Small Niche Games_ retains the right to publish accepted content for any future issue of Brave the Labyrinth, including Best Of's and Anthologies. The author retains all copyright to his or her own work, but is asked not to publish submitted content (if applicable) until one month after that issue of Brave the Labyrinth is released.

*Stat Blocks*

The following stat blocks should be used for all monster and NPC entries. The first stat is a template; the second stat is an example of it in use.

*Monster*
Monster Name: AL ; MV (); AC ; HD ; hp ; ‪#‎AT‬ ; Dmg ; SA ; SV ; ML ; XP .
Giant Spider: AL N; MV 60' (20')/web 120' (40'); AC 6; HD 3; hp 16; #AT 1; Dmg 2d6 (mandible) + special; SA poison; SV F2; ML 8; XP 80.

*NPC*
NPC: AL ; MV (); AC ; Class/Level ; hp ; #AT ; Dmg ; S , D , C , I , W , Ch ; SV ; SA ; ML ; XP ; magic items (if any), equipment (if any), wealth (if any).

Drumas Long: AL N; MV 120' (40'); AC 7 or 6 (unarmored or leather armor); T5; hp 16; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6+1 (short sword + Str), 1d4+1 (dagger + Str); S 13, D 17, C 13, I 15, W 13, Ch 12; SV T5; SA backstab, thief skills; ML 8; XP 800; pick locks 35%, find/remove traps 33%, pick pockets 40%, move silently 40%, climb walls 91%, hide in shadows 30%, hear noise 1-3; potion of poison, potion of healing, thieves' tools, 27 gp, 34 sp, 13 cp.

*Open Game Content (OGC)*
Brave the Labyrinth will comply with the terms of the Open Game License. All stat blocks for any submission will be considered OGC. The individual author of each submission may designate which other items are OGC (if any) and which are Product Identity.

*Compensation*
Brave the Labyrinth depends heavily on fan contributions. The PDF of Issue #6 will be offered as a free download. The author of accepted content receives a free print copy of the issue, to be delivered within one month of the issue's publication.

*Amateurs*
If you've never been published before, chances are you've been gaming for years, and you can't roleplay for that long without coming up with some cool ideas. So take some time, jot some of those ideas down, and send them in. Who knows? You might get a call from a big-time publisher. You gotta start somewhere! :-)

*Publishers*
RPG publishers are encouraged to submit. Publishers whose content is accepted to Brave the Labyrinth may send one 1/2 page ad per issue to be placed in the back of the magazine. As the free fanzine will most likely be downloaded by hundreds, if not thousands of gamers, this is a great way to get some free publicity for your campaign setting, new products, and/or your company.

*How to Submit*
Submit content to smallnichegames -AT- gmail -DOT- com in the body of the email (preferred) or as a rich text document. Place [BtL Submission] followed by the title of your submission in the subject line of the email.

*Issue #6*
Issue #6 is currently scheduled for publication in the fourth quarter of 2016. We look forward to seeing your submissions!

Of One Page Fanzines (Guest Poster Tony T)

Never Too Young

In my younger years, one of the best thrills each month was to open the mailbox to discover the latest
issue of Dragon or Dungeon magazine waiting for me. Back then, there was no worry about bills; only the discovery of the newest spell, magic item, or place to take a side adventure to and conquer the evil.

Recently, I discovered the one page zine called the Tolling of the Great Black Bell by +Christian Walker . I ordered an issue and a few days later open the mailbox and there I am again some thirty plus yearsago with excitement to see what awaits inside.

This zine stoked the muse inside of me and now I have started my own venture into the world of one page zines. I believe there such a great idea to reap some new into a long-running campaign. Take a break and do a one page quest of some sort before you continue on in saving the realm.

So I encourage my fellow RPG friends to support these authors in their contribution to our hobby. They are doing this because they hope you'll open that mailbox and for just a few moments, you'll forget about the bills and the stress of this adult life.

Tony T.

Here is a current list of the authors and their zines:

http://thegreatblackbell.blogspot.com/
+Christian Walker  The Tolling of the Great Black Bell

http://swordplusone.blogspot.com/
+Mike Davison   Boarding Action

http://www.msjx.org/p/the-ten-foot-pole-opz.html
+matt jackson  Ten Foot Pole

http://goblinminimart.com/dark-ruins-adventure-mini-zines/
+Wayne Snyder  Dark Ruins

http://outpostowlbear.blogspot.com
+Tony T  Outpost Owlbear

Review of Black Powder Black Magic, a DCC RPG Fanzine (Guest Poster Jim Wampler)

See? I told you there were some guest posts in the hopper ;)

Review of Black Powder Black Magic, a DCC RPG Fanzine
by Jim Wampler

If anything marks the tide change in the growing mainstream popularity of Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, it’s the presence of a plethora of Third Party Publishing support like Black Powder, Black Magic Vols. 1 and 2.

Ostensibly presented as another member of the legion of DCC RPG fanzines (over six separate publications at last count), Black Powder, Black Magic is in fact a new game setting for DCC RPG, one billed as mixing “six guns & sorcery,” which really would have been just as apt choice of a name for the system.

But BPBM’s “six guns & sorcery” approach is also a well chosen call-back to gaming in the halcyon era of the 1970s, a period which DCC RPG itself is designed to emulate in playstyle and feel. Those of us who go back to those days well remember playing our first Boot Hill games. The typical player strategy of the day was to slowly badger the GM by turning Boot Hill into a D&D type game by any means necessary. “No Fireball spell? No problem. We’ve got a case of dynamite and shotguns” was our mantra back then.  Thus, a setting like Black Powder, Black Magic gives old school style players exactly what they want. In a much more straight forward approach than past games and settings (Deadlands, I’m looking at you), BPBM presents the wild, wild west of the mid-to-late 19th century as an alternative history in which a substance called “demon ore” has been discovered and exploited, the U.S. government has all but forbidden travel to the “Dark Territories,” and a boom town like Brimstone is the perfect place for a player character to make a name for himself or die trying.

The first two volumes of BPBM couldn’t be better presented for players and judges to get started. Vol. 1 presents the basic campaign setting, rules for generating level-0 characters including occupations, starting equipment and trade goods, a common names table, and even the clever “Token of the Past” and “Motivations for Heading West” tables to help players easily slide into the setting. Rules for firearm use are of course covered (and could be handily adapted for use in a modern era DCC RPG setting). All of this is followed by the moody and intriguing level-0 character funnel adventure “The Devil’s Cauldron.”

The recently released Vol. 2 only ups the ante, by presenting all the rules necessary to convert the classic DCC RPG classes to the new setting. Want to run a fighter, wizard, cleric, or thief in the Dark Territories? The conversion rules are here. The rules for the cleric class are especially nice, with options for running everything from a Protestant Preacher or Native Shaman to a Chinese Mystic or a Cultist of the Old Gods.  Notably, two new setting-original classes are given: the Gambler and the Prospector (notable for actually being able to sense and find the vital demon ore). More BPBM classes are sure to follow in Vol. 3.  Vol. 2. also contains my single favorite item from the first two volumes — a full Patron writeup for BPBM: John Henry, the Steel Drivin’ Patron. Everything you need is there, from John Henry’s Invoke Patron results to his Patron Taint, Spellburn effects, and new spells. The second book then ends with some new monsters for BPBM with the promise of more to come in subsequent volumes.

So while Carl  Bussler and Eric Hoffman’s Black Powder, Black Magic bills itself as a DCC RPG fanzine, it’s really much more like the Little Brown Books of original D&D, albeit with considerably better organized rules, better typesetting, and excellent art by Todd McGowan. A sure sign of the warm reception these booklets have received is that as of this writing, the first print run of Vol. 2 has sold out. Fortunately, Vol. 1 is currently still available and a new print run of Vol. 2 is in the works. So what are you waiting for? Saddle up and ride hellbent for leather to Stormlords Publishing and go get yourself the DCC RPG setting that will make your players want to always have the sun at their backs, because a PC always needs an advantage.

Mini Review - Secrets #1 - (S&W Fanzine)

I'm not sure whether I'm on a fanzine kick or not, but my God there are a lot of awesome fanzones out there for those that dig such things.

Secrets #1, Omens & Portents is an old school fanzine, nominally for Swords & Wizardry but suitable for the Old School RPG of your choice.

This is very much a "gaming resource", as it has a section on divine spells (new clerical and druidic spells - well, not all new to the OGL, but new to S&W). It also has a handful of new monsters which are pretty cool.

More exciting (and extremely useful to me as a S&W DM) is the section on new magic items. Holy crap but there is some fun stuff here. The versatility of the rods makes them very powerful, although not as powerful as they might seem outright.

I'll be stealing some of the magic items for my own campaign, and I'll be giving access to the clerical spells to the party's cleric.

Did I mention I really love the cover?

+Nathan Irving is the guilty party behind this new fanzine and it is good.  Not a surprise, really, as his blog is also an awesome gaming resource.

Secrets #1 is $4 in print, $2 in PDF and $6 for the combo.  Print prices include international shipping, which makes it a steal of a zine for those outside the states.

At this rate I'll need a special box to keep all of these fanzines in order.

Mini Review - Crawling Under a Broken Moon (DCC RPG Fanzine / Setting)

The DCC RPG scene seems to draw fanzines unto itself much like a flame draws moths. Strangely, the fanzines in question don't get burned, perhaps because they are in many respects the jewels of the DCC universe. I need to do a post that just highlights DCC RPG fanzines - I'll add it to me todo list ;)

Crawling Under a Broken Moon is the latest DCC fanzine to reach my virtual table, and although it draws much of it's inspiration from the classic Thundarr the Barbarian cartoon, there is much here that would work well in converting DCC to a Gamma World type setting (which I believe may already be in the works by one of the hosts of the excellent Spellburn podcast, but I digress).

+Reid San Filippo was kind enough to send me a PDF copy, so of course my first question is going to be "where can I find this in print and add it to my fanzine collection?" And the answer is the Crawling Under a Broken Moon Blog ;)

So, what do you get in issue #1 of CUBM?

You get a brief overview of the setting in Welcome to Umerica. A new glass class (damn typos) with the Technologist (which is kind of a gonzo gadget using scientist). Weapons and the Wasteland is a stripped down reworking of +Dak Ultimak 's firearms article on guns, aimed at post apocalyptic gamma gonzo. New monsters with the Twisted Menagerie and finally An Interesting Place to Die gives one a drop in location / encounter.

Each article is pretty good taken on it's own, but the project is pretty damn amazing when one considers it pretty much arrived from off radar - or at least off my radar.

If you play the DCC RPG at all, Crawling Under a Broken Moon is pretty much a must buy. If you buy any of the old school fanzines, this should be right there on the shelf with the rest of your collection.

I'm looking forward to more issues - and the print copy I just ordered ;)

PDF is $2.99

Print plus PDF is $4 domestic, $5.50 international