A new monster for Thews! The slug man warrior

Here is a new creature for your Thews! game.

Slug men are an abominable combination of man and slug.  They dwell in deep subterranean lairs and are rarely seen by humans.  Legends hold that a great city of slug men lies deep within the earth’s crust and that its residents kidnap humans for use in blasphemous rituals and experiments.   Slug man warriors are the most common slug men and are the most likely to be encountered raiding near the surface.

Download here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=171xO1mfaDACVIMsEM0xC4vw3FyH9Onf2

Updated Thews! Character Sheet

I've made some updates to the character sheet for Thews!  I've cleaned it up a bit, added fields for armor Savager bonuses/penalties, and added more snakes.  It will be included in the updated DriveThruRPG version as well.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/284670/Thews

Thews! is now available on drivethrurpg!

The game of barbaric savagery and sinister sorcery is now available as a Pay-What-You-Want download. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/284670/Thews

Get your copy now and get your Savagery on! :-)

Thews Day!

The original play-test edition and the revised edition

The game of barbaric savagery and sinister sorcery!  We have been play-testing my latest beer and pretzels style sword & sorcery roleplaying game Thews!  So far it's going pretty well and I've gotten lots of good feedback from the play-testers.  It's fast, brutal, so so far pretty fun.  I think that it's a much better game than my previous game, Crossbows & Codpieces. :-) . I'm hoping to release Thews! in PDF sometime in the next month.

An actual play photo showing a grocery bag used as a battle-mat

Vale Greg Stafford (1948 - 2018)

Whoa.  I'm completely shocked. :-(

Vale Greg Stafford (1948 - 2018): The shock and grief the Chaosium family felt at the news of the passing of our beloved and revered company founder, Greg Stafford, cannot be measured. Greg died yesterday in his sweat lodge at his home in Arcata, CA. Mercifully, his passing was painless and quick. He died as he lived, on a spiritual quest of enlightenment.As one of the greatest game designers of all time; winner of too many awards to count; and a friend, mentor, guide, and inspiration to generations of gamers, “the Grand Shaman of Gaming” influenced the universe of tabletop gaming beyond measure.Greg founded The Chaosium in 1975, and from the outset (to quote his own words) “was never content to imitate, but instead published games that were original in their style of play, content and design”. Under his leadership, the company quickly became renowned for its originality and creativity, and was responsible for introducing numerous things to the hobby that are standards today. As John Wick (7th Sea, Legend of the Five Rings) memorably said, “The older I get, the more I hear young RPG designers say ‘Never been done before!’ And then I just point at something Greg Stafford did a few decades ago.”Greg’s work in roleplaying games, board games, and fiction have been acclaimed as some of the most engaging and innovative of all time. There will doubtless be many valedictory messages over the coming days from the countless ...

Miniatures Monday

A dragon among the ruins

Here is a green dragon that I'm pretty pleased with,  I could have done a better job on the shattered stone that he is standing on, but that is something that I can fix later.  I don't paint many dragons, as I don't have much call to use them in games.

Weird Adventure Wednesday (Now with more stuff)!

On A Brisk Afternoon you are stopped by a young adventurer in the slums.  The adventurer tells you a forgotten tale that nine days ride to the northeast, across The Loathsome Ravine of the Stargazer can be found The Crumbling Village of the Vile Veterans.  It is whispered that there can be found The Iron Sword of the Fateful Dictator. The adventurer tells you that an acolyte will pay a small fortune to those who can retrieve that Sword. But beware, for the adventurer admonishes you that  The Unholy Troubadour of Visions enslaves all who come near!

I added the possibility that someone may be willing to pay you to undertake the adventure. I figured that there needed to be some incentive to go after these horrible items. ;-)

Some old Tunnels & Trolls Character Sheets

Way back in the day, Ken St. Andre held a contest to make character sheets for Tunnels & Trolls over at his sadly now defunct Trollhalla site.  I came across my entries (which admittedly aren't very good, but they do have snakes and daggers), and thought that I'd share them.  I made two versions, one for T&T 5th edition (my personal favorite edition) and one for T&T 7.5.  Maybe one of these days, I'll make one for Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls.  These could definitely have benefitted from some kind of a border.  Perhaps skulls.

T&T 5th Edition

T&T 7.5

Friday Five: Five Dwellings of Doom

1. The Shameful Cloister of the Accursed Teeth

2. The Fluctuating Inn of Whispering Hallucinations

3. The Timeless Village of the Sanctified Maw

4. The Flesh Melting Fortress of Sacrifice

5. The Unfathomable Monolith of Inauspicious Stars

Weird Adventure Wednesday: With a free magic item!

On a steamy day you are hailed by a foppish jongleur loitering in a bustling inn.  The jongleur tells you an interesting tale that two months travel to the northeast, across The Relentless Ocean of the Unburied Gods was built The Emasculating Zoo of Astonishing Mockery.  It is said that there is hidden The Terrifying Iron Spyglass of Illusions.  But beware, for the jongleur admonishes you that it is alleged The Wayward Surgeon of Shrieking Mystery tortures all who go there!

Item: The Terrifying Iron Spyglass of Illusions
     This iron telescope is covered in a pattern of 5-60 (5d12) small raised skulls.  The telescope is approximately two feet in length when fully extended allows the user to cast an illusion that will frighten creatures anywhere within the line of sight provided by the telescope.  When all of the skulls are gone, the spyglass vanishes in a puff of purple smoke.  Casting the spell is accomplished by pressing one of the raised skulls which then disappears.  The user has no control over how the actual illusion manifests, and there is a 2% chance every time the telescope is used that it will backfire and affect the user and his or her friends.

In Dungeon Crawl Classics mechanics, this would have the effect of both Phantasm and Scare simultaneously as if cast by a 7th level Wizard.

In Labyrinth Lord mechanics, this would have the effect of both Phantasmal Force and Fear simultaneously as if cast by a 7th level Magic User and a 6th level Cleric respectively.

In Swords & Wizardry mechanics, this would have the effect of both Phantasmal Force and Scare simultaneously as if cast by a 7th level Magic User.

Friday Five: Five Gruesome Geographic Locations

Today's Friday: Five gruesome geographic locations:

1. The Mind Destroying Swamplands of the Singing Barbarians

2. The Eerie Crags of the Primitive Crone Cult

3. The Loathsome Scrublands of Timeless Delirium

4. The Calamitous Gulf of the Smoking Initiates

5. The Perilous Jungle of the Fiendish Vivisectionist

d100 Perilous Magic Items

die roll	Item	die roll	Item
1	The Ice Aegis of the Forbidding Bandit	51	The Corroded Broadsword of Hate
2	The Disquieting Gateway of Flagellation	52	The Awesome Porcelain Short Sword of the Devils
3	The Decaying Kettle of the Lost Folly	53	The Bloodthirsty Woolen Gown
4	The Sapphire Garments	54	The Primal Knapsack of Putrescence
5	The Baleful Skull Great-Sword of the Sullied Conjurer	55	The Sepulchral Jade Mattock of Fangs
6	The Good-Omened Tungsten Broadax of the Deadly Wilderness	56	The Cracked Walking Stick of the Horrible North
7	The Twisted Crystal Belt of the Oppressor	57	The Cracked Briar Cincture
8	The Awful Wrap of the Emasculating Squid	58	The Bone Blade of the Nefarious Maiden
9	The Volcanic Sapphire Whip of the Canon	59	The Weeping Cat-O’-Nine-Tails of the Moor
10	The Skull Adorned Zirconium Amulet of the Devils	60	The Mocking Parchment Dress of Tusks
11	The Execrable Pole-Axe of the Shrieking Wanderer	61	The Obscure Tome of the Spiked Gladiator
12	The Devouring Chromium Cutlass of the Unnatural Whore	62	The Cursed Fur Straps of Life
13	The Calamitous Stone Chainmail of Fanaticism	63	The Illusory Fiber Headband of Oblivion
14	The Adamant Coral Tongs of Seeking	64	The Adamant Vanadium Arm Guards of the Universe
15	The Deceitful Needle of Poison	65	The Moaning Fleshy Satchel of Storms
16	The Mighty Lead Saddlebags of the Pirate	66	The Hideous Lead Harness of the Vagabond
17	The Flaming Diamond Statue of the Teeth	67	The Plutonium Armor of the Spider
18	The Disgusting Codpiece of Consuming	68	The Nefarious Opal Mandolin of the Huntsman
19	The Dull Bag of the Weeping Shaman	69	The Wooden Axe of the Flesh
20	The Ceramic Tripod of the Bravo	70	The Flaming Sapphire Pen of the Vivisectionist
21	The Deadly Adamantine Pen of the Flesh Melting Executioner	71	The Oak Crossbow of Irrationality
22	The Cobalt Boots of Peace	72	The Bejeweled Golden Wrap of Hatred
23	The Horrifying Ruby Purse of Shame	73	The Ruinous Diamond Long-Sword of the King
24	The Eternal Earthen Blanket of the Enshrouded Drunk	74	The Porcelain Casket of the Thief
25	The Ice Whip of Pollution	75	The Oak Blade of Debasement
26	The Silver Spiked Club of the Reefs	76	The Corrupted Satin Rag of the Bog
27	The Mighty Flesh Razor of the Road	77	The Opal Decanter of Burning
28	The Bloodthirsty Cincture of Antagonism	78	The Implacable Onyx Drums of Water
29	The Enormous Iron Coat of the Mage	79	The Wretched Oak Tripod of the Drifter
30	The Magical Steel Helmet of the Melting Soothsayer	80	The Whimpering Cast Iron Cage of Mind Reading
31	The Grass Ointment of Blessings	81	The Titanic Wooden Book of the Gloomy Footpad
32	The Immovable Choker of the Cryptic Snows	82	The Spectacular Paper Codpiece
33	The Greasy Bronze Spiked Club of Necrosis	83	The Fog Basket of Speed
34	The Deceitful Staff of the Moon	84	The Colossal Gorget of the Stranger
35	The Cold Iron Rod of Nightmares	85	The Mischievous Magma Coat of the Crumbling Spellbinder
36	The Corroded Paper Wrap of the Healing Cosmos	86	The Demonic Fleshy Shirt of Deviation
37	The Dreaded Quartz Needle of the Indomitable Peaks	87	The Spellbound Fork of Extinction
38	The Sighing Bark Pantaloons of the Swamp	88	The Groaning Cast Iron Crowbar of the Necromantic Reaver
39	The Illusory Vapor Hood of the Scoundrel	89	The Uncanny Vanadium Shield of Poisoning
40	The Inviolate Star-Metal Great-Axe of the Maiden	90	The Wooden Helmet of the Toxic Hands
41	The Chattering Axe of The Undead	91	The Eerie Coral Hauberk of Lunacy
42	The Horrid Ribbon of the Rogue	92	The Emerald Shovel of the Deceiving Drunk
43	The Vile Drum of the Volcanic Priestess	93	The Fearsome Nickel Canteen
44	The Ice Wig of the Pernicious Caverns	94	The Granite Skull Cap of the Demon
45	The Abandoned Leather Kilt of Castration	95	The Esoteric Grass Shoes of the Paladin
46	The Silent Mithril Casket of the Fortune-Hunter	96	The Unlucky Gold Boots of Disgust
47	The Gigantic Vanadium Drum of The Profane	97	The Ancient Sapphire Bludgeon of the Sparkling Wench
48	The Astonishing Paper Socks of Wishing	98	The Shrieking Zirconium Spear of the Arcane Slavers
49	The Emerald Idol of the Frightful Ranger	99	The Bewitched Crossbow of the Strange Past
50	The Basalt Whip of the Glacial Wench	100	The Abhorrent Tungsten Sheath of Castration