Saturday, May 26, 2012

What do you think about...


Well, we have the Dungeon Alphabet, the Wilderness Alphabet, so what do you think about the Space Alphabet? Additional charts, rules and random stuff for Terminal Space, arranged similarily to these two awesome products?

BTW, I don't know what happened about Terminal Grimoire - I'm afraid that the idea is dead for now.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

200th post - Towers of Krshal preview

Firstly, I want to thank all the readers of my blog for your interest, comments and kind words (here or on G+) - it's impossible for me to continue work on something without feedback.

In exchange for your help, I offer you something special - after three days of (not very hard) work I've completed the Towers of Krshal - small, 32-pages, A5-sized booklet with additional stuff for city-oriented gaming. Unfortunately, as my financial condition is really bad, I want to sell this stuff. It will be available via rpgnow/dtrpg, maybe lulu (it's not sure because I want to sell prints on my own) and my own webshop, but first my publisher must obtain legal personality, which is not that fast in Poland :D

Probably it will cost about $3 for PDF version and should be available in the middle of June. It will contain:

  • Table of city-oriented rumors (rather dark and disturbing);
  • Towers, towers and towers (random table and generator);
  • Lists of nasty stuff - parasites, molds, untold monstrosities, dark gods etc.;
  • Names for PCs and NPCs, locations and items;
  • Some unusual items, such as lanterns, oils or keys;
  • Two cross-section maps and two regular maps;
  • ...and probably something more.

At first I wanted to start IndieGoGo campaign for this product to gather funds for some awesome artwork, professional maps and 50-100 printed copies but later I decided that it will cause unnecessary delays.

One last thing - if you have links for your own (or not), free or not city-related stuff and you want them to be included in the Towers of Krshal document - drop it into a comment below. OSR can grow in strength only via cross-referencing.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Underworld Day - Kowloon Walled City part Two

Second set of goodies about Kowloon Walled City - more photos, one youtube vid and ABSOLUTELY STUNNING CROSS-SECTION MAP! Click to enlarge, especially on map.




In 1973
And the map. It almost killed me with its awesomeness. Click, or better open in new tab.


Monday, May 21, 2012

Towers of Krshal

Gustave Doré rocks your ass!
During November-December 2011 I was running experimental, rather new school campaign called by me Towers of London. It was about the immense City - huge and twisted reflection of 19th century London. City was "hidden" in another dimension, but connected with almost every big metropolis in the world. There were huge Towers - sapient difference engines, Imps responsible for fuelling them, three Orders maintaining control of the City, deranged Coal Thieves, stealing coal from our world aiznd many, many other bizarre ideas, some originating from my 2007 game about huge city, unfortunately never released. 

Today strange idea came to my mind - why not develop some of these ideas and transform them into the mighty Random Tables?

PDF will contain about twenty random tables (maybe more - I'm adding new ones almost every hour!), several rather sketchy maps (including my favourite cross-section maps) and some additional crap. Random findings, names, rumors, bizarre animals, demons, gods et cetera et cetera. And it will be cheap. Maybe not as cheap as Miscellaneum of Cinder was (now it's available for free), but still cheap.

I know that I've promised you many products - Xsection Mapbook, Bandits & Battlecruisers, Battlestation Omega and finally Underworld Kingdom. So you may think that this project will be another unreleased mirage. I'm aware of that, but main difference between these projects and the Towers of Krshal is that it is almost complete - probably I'll be able to finish work tomorrow :D

Also, I know that there are many great city-related products (with almighty Vornheim on top of them) but I believe that someone may enjoy (or even use) my "really dark ideas" (quote from Kyrinn :D) - I tried to not duplicate existing stuff - mainly because it will be absolutely pointless.

And yes, I love unpronounceable names :D

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Ossuary random finds


This table may be handy during searching various grave sites, ossuaries or bone pits. Roll d20 and look what you've found!
  1. Enchanted skull (may be used as guardian, shouting obscene words if someone is sneaking towards its owner);
  2. Small bone dagger (+1);
  3. Amulet made of human finger bones (+1 armor vs Undead);
  4. Bird Man skull;
  5. Glass eye;
  6. Bone Centipede (monster, HD 1+2, AC 3, save vs. Poison or paralyze for 2-12 rounds);
  7. Skull of the child with golden key hidden inside it;
  8. Skull of the giant;
  9. Mace made from human's femur (+3);
  10. Urn with ashes and large sapphire hidden inside it (2300 gp worth);
  11. Large urn with ashes and bear trap hidden inside it (2d6 damage);
  12. Bone flute;
  13. Skull with treasure map carved on it;
  14. Collection of 7 beautiful figurines made from human bones (worth 130 gp each);
  15. Denture made from old wood. It stinks horribly;
  16. Tip of +1 spear (+3 vs. humanoids) still stuck in human's skull;
  17. Shrunken head of goblin;
  18. Skull with seven golden teeth (worth 30 gp each, but skull belonged to high-ranked Cleric, so beware);
  19. Green wig, made from dyed horse hair;
  20. Crystal skull (worth 15000 gp but if even single drop of blood drops on it it summons Purple Worm and disappears in cloud of toxic, corrosive gas).

Friday, May 18, 2012

Cursed Palace of Mar Gat'nep


  1. Entrance Square
  2. Purgatory Sector
  3. Cemetary of the Unborn
  4. Execution Chambers
  5. Ossuary of the Fallen
  6. Central Watchtower
  7. Inner Palace
  8. Wraith Tower
  9. Burial Chambers
  10. Main palace districts
  11. Arena
  12. Kitchens
  13. Chambers of Thousand Questions
  14. Tower of the Brown Fumes
Got the idea of creating map of such place moments ago. I hope that you'll find it inspiring / useful.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Hail the mighty Dreadnoughts!


Sometimes Capital Ships are not enough and you'll need bigger, more powerful ship. MUCH BIGGER.

Probably there are only few Dreadnoughts, one per Sector-sized nations and empires, and maybe three or four in the Ash'Kari Empire (more info in upcoming Battlestation Omega project but honestly I don't know when I'll be able to continue writing it). Dreadnoghts are immense and extremely armored vessels, not very fast nor agile, but capable of destroying almost any other spaceship with just one salvo.

Structure Points: 110
Base Pilot skill mod: -60%
Free space: 150
Hull price: about 3 millions of Credits

Armor stats and pricing:
Unarmored: 150 durability points;
Titanium: 280 durability points, 300000 Credits;
Ceramite: 380 durability points, 590000 Credits;
Reactive: 440 durability points, 800000 Credits;
Carbide: 560 durability points, 1155000 Credits;
Ultrasteel: 1000 durability points, 2030000 Credits;

Main drive prices:
D: 100000 Credits
C: 590000 Credits
B: 2450000 Credits
A: Unavailable. Too big and too power-hungry to exist.

Reactor for Dreadnought costs 500000 Credits and provide enough power to constantly fire their main weapons for about a week. One additional set of maneuvering thrusters costs 160000 Credits. Jump drive costs about 250000 and it's relatively cheap compared to other subassemblies. Set of computers for Dreadnought-class vessels costs 500000 Credits and contains main CPU cluster, jammers of -30% jamming power, sensor booster of one million km range, navigational computer and advanced targetters able to fight simultanously with one hundred enemy ships. Also advanced hyperspace links allow to provide +50% to Weapon Systems skill for any one vessel, but only if Dreadnought's weapons are not firing at that time. Strategic links has about 50000 km range. Cost of crew quarters and all infrastructure necessary to live on its board are included in hull's price.

Dreadnought's bridge is designed for over one hundred of crew and has its own armor of 50 durability points. It has its own power systems and can be considered as Admirality Bridge although it contains even throne room! Of course bridge is duplicated. Price 110000 Credits.

More info, such as ultra-heavy weaponry, Armageddon Blasters, Imperial Links, factories, will be available soon - maybe even tomorrow!

Phoenix, one of the Dreadnoughts from the EVE Online

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

"Underworld" Day - Kowloon Walled City (part one)

If Ostankino Tower is the second most awesome thing built by mankind, Kowloon Walled City was the most awesome thing built by humans. It was demolished in 1993 so photos and films are only way to witness it now.







Part Two next week.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I'm ready (and quick, meaningless report)

As you've seen, I was rather inactive during past two months. I focused mainly on playing guitar, running again my Dark Heresy campaign (now on Ascension level) and playing various PC games (NFS: Hot Pursuit, Cortex Command and Transcendence).

I needed that break. Now I'm ready to write again. PDF needs to be finished.

And quick and meaningless update:
  • Bandits & Basilisks were accessed more than 1000 times (566 downloads);
  • Almost 3000 Terminal Space downloads via Box, 2300 previews (via Box and Scribd);
  • As you probably noticed, I missed whole AtoZ challenge this year - and it sucks (but I was unable to force myself to write something);
  • Over 15000 blog visits - thank you!
  • Almost 30000 pageviews - it seems that somebody really read my crap :-)
  • Probably we will start playing (again) my Underworld Kingdom campaign next sunday (not tomorrow) so you may expect new game reports soon;
  • Unfortunately Underworld Days will remain as infrequent feature (unless I'll find new source of great photos and artwork).
Stay tuned - more to come soon!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

"Underworld" Day - Ostankino Tower

Definitively NOT Underworld-related stuff, but still very inspirational. In my opinion one of the most beautiful modern architectural creation of mankind. And it's HUGE. Too bad that I've never saw it in a real life. 







With the monument of Sergei Korolov, one of the most notable persons of Soviet Space Program