Review: Gunslinger, Great OSR TTRPG For Weird West

The Random Encounter Show did a review of Gunslinger. It is a bit long and fairly thorough. The review also mentions some tips for playing solo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-NdKir0hbQ&t=559s

Building Ruins #8

 

Building Ruins #7

 

Buildings Ruins #6

 

Thark Building Ruins Map

 Another one down, many more to go.

Thark Building Ruins Map

 

Just one level of this tower.

PotRP Design Diary #39 - Thark

 On the edge of a dusty basin of a long-dead Martian sea lies the ruins of a city called Thark—or at least, that’s what the green Martians call it now. No one remembers its real name. What’s left of it sprawls in eerie silence, the bones of a lost civilization slowly being swallowed by red sand.

Once, Thark was grand. Marble towers rose into the sky, elegant frescoes and mosaics lined the walls, and wide avenues bustled with life. Now, it’s all broken columns, leaning buildings, and windswept plazas. Faded images of pale-skinned, golden-haired people still decorate some of the ruins, ghosts of a vanished race.

At the center stands a great circular hall, once a ceremonial chamber, now a rough meeting place for the warlike green Martians. Scattered around the city are strange chambers with hanging metal beds and walls etched with forgotten symbols. Outside the city lies the incubator vault, buried in hills and sand, where the green Martians hatch their young.

Under it all are hidden vaults, cracked aqueducts, mural-lined tunnels, reminders of a time when water flowed and the city thrived.

But now, Thark is silent. Not haunted by spirits, but by memory. The wind moans through its dusty broken streets like a city trying to remember who it once was. If you ever visit, you’ll feel that sense that something ancient is still watching.

Thark

WotRP: Apt

 As many drawings as I did for Warriors of the Red Planet, I still wish I'd drawn more! It is amazing how much art a roleplaying game book can gobble up. I was rereading Llana of Gothol and thinking about how the Apt was described. Since I didn't draw one for WotRP I sketched out this interpretation for fun.

So many of the creatures on Barsoom are essentially 6-legged centaur like designs.

Apt
AC: 6 [14]
HD: 10
Atk: bite or 2 claws
Dmg: 2d8, or 1d8 each
Save: F10
Move: 120’
XP: 6500

The Apt is a terrible scourge of the frozen north. Running on six powerful legs, it can stand upright on four of them to tear with two massive claws before closing to bite with its tusked maw. Its multi-faceted eyes can see in pitch darkness, and can even see invisible creatures. Its rich fur, ranging from white to yellow, sometimes with black stripes, is highly prized and valuable. Their lairs are often stinking charnel pits, as they enjoy letting their prey rot a bit before feasting.

PotRP Design Diary #38 - Structure

 Way back in December of 2022 was the last numbered PotRP Design Diary entry. I knew writing a Weird West RPG would be a (necessary) distraction, but wow did things go off course. This is the start of getting back on track with this project and wrapping it up.

When I started Princess of the Red Planet I thought writing it chapter by chapter in sync with the novel would be a good approach. It wasn't. But it was good for doing research and collecting the notes needed to make the adventure. A location by location approach, like all adventures, is the right way to structure this module.

With that obvious observation out of the way, here is the current breakdown of the location chapters of the adventure:

ARIZONA SECTION 

• Arizona Hills
• Claim Site
• Apache Camp
• Mysterious Cave

BARSOOM SECTION

• Dead Sea Bottom
• Thark
• Warhoon
• Korad 
• Zodanga
• Helium
• Atmosphere Factory

These locations will still be presented as sandboxes, so each is an adventure area, not a railroad. 

Arizona Hills

The location of the Arizona portion of the story is somewhat vague in the novel. 

John Carter mentions:

“We were camped near the old gold mine in the Arizona hills not far from the Rio Colorado...”

— A Princess of Mars, Chapter 1

The Rio Colorado has two major tributaries—one on the western side of the state and one on the northern side. However, the Apache were located in the central and south eastern region of Arizona. Some commentators have suggested the White Mountains as the setting, but this doesn’t quite align with the story’s geography.

I prefer to place the events in Aravaipa Valley, where all the features mentioned in the novel are present. It’s also the location of Fort Grant, where Edgar Rice Burroughs was stationed during his brief military service.

Ultimately, the GM can place the western portion of the adventure wherever they choose within the Southwest.

Next week I'll talk about the Claim Site.

Map - Temple of Sota’ver the Heretic

 As I've been digging back into the Princess of the Red Planet adventure I've been drawing lots of maps. The goal has been to create distinctive and unusual maps with unconventional designs, to feel like otherworldly architecture. This isn't the strangest one I've drawn, but it is definitely different than typical rectangular dungeon maps. I imagined this as one floor of a crumbling tower.

How far can I go with this and driving the party's mapper crazy?

5 Years Later

Looking Back: A Five-Year Update on Three Projects

In 2020, I posted an unambitious list of personal goals:

• Book of Valkyries
• Tarniss Campaign Setting
• Princess of the Red Planet adventure

Five years on, it’s time to look at where those projects stand.

Book of Valkyries

Between 2013 and 2020, like many others, I got hooked on Vikings—a gritty, not-terribly-accurate, but highly entertaining show that helped revive popular interest in Norse mythology. It also reignited my own long-standing fascination with old Norse lore.

I’d been wanting to tackle a large personal art project, and the idea took shape: an illustrated book focused on Valkyries, inspired by the classic Knights art book by Julek Heller. While Norse mythology has been explored thoroughly in gaming and art, Valkyries felt like a less-trodden path, rich with potential.

I originally thought this would take a year or two. It hasn’t. The project has grown into something larger and more ambitious, about 50% finished now. You can view much of the work in progress under the “Norse Mythology” label on this blog.

Naturally, this won’t just be an art book. A fully-statted OSR companion volume is in the works as well. In the meantime, I’ve released a smaller, related OSR book: Norse Beasties.

Tarniss

Before I ever played D&D, I was sketching characters, monsters, maps and making up stories. Like many who discovered the game in middle school, D&D became the outlet for a world that had been developing in my imagination for years.

That world is Tarniss—a sprawling, high-weirdness setting that first showed up in flavor text on Dungeoneer cards, then resurfaced in bits and pieces across other projects. It’s my version of kitchen-sink fantasy.

Eventually I rebranded the setting as Hawkmoor, after the capital city, and published a short primer. A major update to that primer is coming soon.

How close is it to being done? Hard to say. Like any living setting, it’s always evolving. But the core campaign book is about 65% complete.

Princess of the Red Planet

Warriors of the Red Planet was a love letter to sword-and-planet fiction, and sometime after its release I got the idea to follow it with a proper adventure, a tribute to A Princess of Mars, the novel that started it all.

The novel itself isn’t long, so it should have been easy. But I got caught up trying to recapture the realism of the original: the grounded prologue in the American Southwest, followed by the leap to fantastical Barsoom. I tried various OSR westerns to capture that opening, none quite worked.

So I did what any unreasonable person would do: I made my own. That led to Gunslinger, an old-school Western RPG that took over two years to finish.

During the pandemic, I ran a lot of games for my kids in a homebrew system that merged BX and 5e elements, something not too far off from what Gunslinger's system is. The backer edition of that game included a preview of On the Arizona Hills, the prequel to Princess of the Red Planet. If Arizona Hills is like Village of Hommlet in size and scope, Red Planet is like Temple of Elemental Evil. The full version is nearly finished.

Altogether, Princess of the Red Planet is a bit over 50% complete and moving steadily forward.

2025 Is the Year

For a host of reasons, creative, personal, and practical, I’m committed to wrapping up these long-running projects. This summer I’ll be devoting myself fully to finishing them and getting them into your hands.

Thanks for reading, and for your continued interest in these projects.

Original post:

https://dungeoneering.blogspot.com/2020/06/2020-vision-map.html

Gunslinger Core Rulebooks in the Mail

 Gunslinger Role Playing Game books have shipped.

Each person who purchased one, and provided a shipping address, have their copy on the way. So, what was the last little delay? Funny you should ask.

We had one final hurdle to jump. When the books arrived we processed them. Each copy was personalized with a sketch. They were packed and ready to go when we noticed a little detail. The "M" in the strange science gadget "Microset" was clipped on page 87. On closer examination the art was overlapping the text. We reviewed the proof and it was fine, but it seems the clipping mask broke in the final PDF (image on the right). It was a very small detail, but we just couldn't allow it. We had the entire run reprinted, they were fixed and the corrected copies personalized and we repacked them.

Thank you all so much. We've come so far and have arrived at our destination. All books have been shipped and are on their way.

Now that the backer copies are on the way, print copies are available on DriveThruRPG:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/435804/gunslinger-roleplaying-game

Gunslinger Books Arrived

 The Gunslinger books have arrived to the warehouse (aka my garage). I am signing them and preparing to ship them out. Aiming to have it all done this week!

What a long strange trip it's been. Should be a fun post mortem.

Gunslinger - Proof Approved

Last month we sent the final file to the printers. After a few typical pre-press issues such as fonts licensing, validation, and correcting printer specifications we were all good to go and ordered proof copies.

When the proofs arrived we poured over them with a fine tooth comb and they looked good, we found some minor issues to polish that required another proof. We'd come this far and didn't want to rush things at this point. Those revised proofs just arrived and the results are great.

The order has been put in to print the full run to fulfill the Kickstarter. If all goes smoothly they should be arriving mid-September. From there they'll get boxed up and shipped out.

This is my first crowdfunding and I learned a lot! I'm considering writing up a post-mortem to help others avoid some of the pitfalls I fell into.

Gunslinger - Lots and Lots and Lots and Lots of Art

 June is the month Gunslinger goes to press. Come hell or high water it is getting finished. So I imagine I'll have to do a postmortem at some point to pinpoint why it took so long and how to make future projects more efficient. 

Looking at the art folder there are over 200 art assets.

Over...two...hundred...art...assets.

This is a one man operation, I did have some help editing and playtesting, but the writing, design, graphics, layout, and art are all my responsibility. Just back of the envelope math if each art asset took 4-6 hours to make (some took a lot more, a few took less). That is 1200 hours of work.  I have a full time job, and I'm a dad, so that had to be done between life responsibilities. And that doesn't include the writing, editing, playtesting, research, and design where the bulk of my time was spent. This project got to be a little ridiculous. I thought it was going to be a quick little OSR western. If I had been smart about it that is what Gunslinger would have been, but nope.

The book itself is clocking in at 134 pages. The kickstarter version is a little longer because it includes a prelude chapter to the Princess of the Red Planet adventure. By RPG standards 134 pages isn't huge, but note that it is the cream of the research and playtest efforts. Not a lot of drivel in it, like most RPG's have.

In the end nobody cares how long something took to make. The product stands or falls on its own. All I can say is I did my best on it. This month, June, the book goes to press. Fin.

For some reason I thought illustrating every critter was a good idea.

Tower of Xthar'Drim

A Sword & Planet adventure for Warriors of the Red Planet

Xthar'Drim was a rogue Jedak who defied orders and broke away from Helium to form his own city state. He took the tallest tower in the ruins of an ancient city whose name is long forgotten, but is called Kith Drangor by the locals. There he began to build his kingdom, recruiting any scum and villainy that would join his ranks. He captures and enslaves others to throw into the dark pits under his tower, he uses these poor unfortunates in macabre gladiator games.

WotRP: Haunted Ruins of Koris Nesh print edition available

This took a little longer than usual, but the print proofs for Haunted Ruins of Koris Nesh came in yesterday and they look good. So the books are approved for sale. If you were waiting to get the Print + PDF combo deal the link is live now.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/436694/Haunted-Ruins-of-Koris-Nesh

Treasure Island and Beasties: Loathsome Horrors print editions are available now too:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/437116/Treasure-Island-Adventure

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/436818/Beasties-Loathsome-Horrors

Two ERB Extended Universe Novels by John Eric Holmes

New edition of the two novels, "Mahars of Pellucidar" and "Red Axe of Pellucidar," written by John Eric Holmes, are out. These are action-packed adventures set in the Pellucidar universe. These books offer imaginative settings, inspiring heroes, and fast-paced action, accompanied by bonus novelettes by Joe Lansdale and Geary Gravel. Additionally, the attractive dust-jacket art perfectly captures key moments from each story. I spotted this on the ERB Facebook page, and noticed that all versions are available on Amazon, including audio.

Book One: "Mahars of Pellucidar"

Published in 1976, this story is set in a time period with advanced science that enables limited contact between the surface world and Pellucidar. The protagonist, Chris West, a grad student in biology and former Marine, narrates the tale in first person. The story begins with the discovery of an underground cavern through a borehole created by advanced technology. Chris, along with the brave and captivating Varna, faces perilous challenges as they navigate Pellucidar's diverse races and tribes. Eventually, they are captured by the Mahar, an alien race with unique physiology and communication methods. Chris forms an unlikely alliance with a Mahar scientist and discovers the gruesome fate that awaits human captives. With the help of his surface world friends, Chris leads a daring escape from the Mahar city.

Bonus Novelette: "Tarzan and the Land That Time Forgot" by Joe Lansdale

Originally published in the "Worlds of ERB" story collection in 2013, this novelette follows Tarzan and the crew of the O-220 airship, who find themselves stranded in Caspak after a storm. Tarzan, Captain Zuppner, and Zamona, a Pellucidar native, embark on an exciting journey through the evolutionary zones of Caspak, accompanied by a heartwarming romance.

Book Two: "Red Axe of Pellucidar"

The Forward, written by Eric Holmes' son, explains that Book Two remained unpublished for several years due to the poor sales of the first book. However, both novels deserve recognition for their exploration of the rich world of Pellucidar. In "Red Axe of Pellucidar," the protagonist, Red Axe (Chris West's Pellucidar name), and his companion Varna encounter two fascinating tribes: a Polynesian-inspired sea tribe and a stone-age tribe of mammoth hunters. Both tribes are manipulated by "witch doctors" who use a pagan religion to control their followers. The story showcases breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and thrilling life-and-death struggles. The romantic relationships in this book are portrayed differently than in previous ERB novels, emphasizing close bonds and genuine love. The novel also delves deeper into the enigmatic Mahar culture, revealing them as an ancient race with alien perceptions and values.

Bonus Novelette: "Jason Gridley of Earth, Across the Moons of Mars" by Geary Gravel

In this novelette, John Carter's lengthy report, transcribed by Geary Gravel, reveals strange events unfolding across multiple worlds. Carter finds himself transported from one world to another, struggling to gain control over this mysterious force. He encounters captivating characters and witnesses scientifically impossible phenomena, hinting at inconceivable alien technologies. While the story moves at a good pace, readers familiar with companion novels may appreciate it more.

Fans of the Pellucidar universe are highly recommended to dive into these two novels by John Eric Holmes. The adventures in "Mahars of Pellucidar" and "Red Axe of Pellucidar" offer thrilling escapades, captivating characters, and a love for the rich world created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The bonus novelettes by Joe Lans

Kublacon 2023

 Kublacon 2023 is coming up soon. One of the best gaming conventions in California that I try to attend each year. Night Owl Workshop has a booth I'll be working. This year has a few new things like the recent adventures that I posted last week: Treasure Island (Freebooters), Haunted Ruins of Koris Nesh (WotRP), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (for OD&D or compatible systems). Also the Beasties book of Loathsome Horrors full color book. Each of these are print copies at the show, only PDF's are currently available online.

Also I have some prototype box sets coming out for Warriors of the Red Planet, Freebooters, Colonial Troopers, and Guardians. These are meticulous replicas of the original woodgrain ODD box. They include the game, adventure, and character sheet pads (dice not included, but will have a pencil). I'm working on making these available widely in print-on-demand editions through TheGamecrafter.com soon.

If you happen to be in the San Francisco bay area on the weekend of May 27th swing on by.

What about Gunslinger? Well, as mentioned in a previous post the writing is done. It is all about the art now. I will print a copy for display at the show. But the rulebook is this --> <-- close to being finished.

Haunted Ruins of Koris Nesh

 This adventure was written some time ago by Allen Farr, a writer who's been helping me out with finishing up some projects. He wrote a very interesting, and fun, adventure, I found the premise to be quite intriguing. It reminds me of the kind of story Leigh Brackett would tell.

Embark on an epic adventure in the ancient city of Koris Nesh, where the echoes of a long-forgotten past come to life! Delve into the secrets of a civilization that sought to cheat death and preserve its legacy, only to find betrayal and doom lurking beneath the surface.

Journey to the undersea city of Atris, and uncover the truth of its tragic history. Explore the sprawling ruins teeming with danger and treasure as you piece together the story of a desperate people who became twisted revenants in their quest for vengeance.

Discover the bustling bazaars and workshops of relic hunters and tinkerers, where ancient technology from lost cities is salvaged and restored. But beware, for beneath the thriving surface lies a dark secret, as an ancient decay threatens the very foundations of the city.

Can you unravel the mysteries of Koris Nesh and save it from a fate sealed long ago? Step into the world of a dying planet and embrace the challenge that awaits in this immersive adventure for the Warriors of the Red Planet roleplaying game.

Haunted Ruins of Koris Nesh

A Warriors of the Red Planet Adventure

For 2-5 Characters Levels 5-7

It is available now on DriveThru:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/436694/Haunted-Ruins-of-Koris-Nesh