An uncommon review of AD&D Unearthed Arcana

Starting with rare HPL stuff: H.P. Lovecraft & Sonia H. Greene - European Glimpses (1932)

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The Abduction of Good King Despot

just bought!

i think this rarity deserved 50 dollars.NK only had one copy of this, and i was after it.

For those who don't know what this module is, look here.

Noble Knight website immediately refreshed the page, you can see that the item in question is sold out as of today, here.

I'll tell everyone on this blog what this adventure is like, because i'm planning to play it, as a series of adventures for a Powers & perils campaign. Sure, i will have to modify several stats because at the time it was published with AD&D in mind.

Anyway, while i wait, we can read this fom a comment at Grognardia here:

The Abduction of Good King Despot (by Will & Schar Niebling and Russ Stambaugh; New Infinities, 1988): This module is the epitome of the "funhouse with internal logic" that I just praised in a post at dragonsfoot -- the dungeon is a completely linear and completely non-ecologized (there are some joking nods to what the monsters do when the PCs aren't around but they're not to be taken seriously) gauntlet of tricks, puzzles, and monsters that at first glance seem completely random and arbitrary but are actually all part of a complex and internally-consistent pattern that clever players will eventually recognize and be able to use to their advantage while less-perceptive players will waste tons of time and resources on red-herrings. This was Gary Gygax's favorite module to run at conventions and it's obvious why -- the combination of whimsy and tough challenges (both tactical and intellectual) represents the best of old-style D&D, and the linear nature makes sure the players will get a good dose of fun in a short time-frame (but that said, neither of the two times I've run it did the party get anywhere near all the way through -- or even halfway).

I'm sure i made an excellent purchase, and as time passes i'm hoarding more and more rarities to my collection...i am happy.

Clark Ashton Smith, virgin

Nostalgia of the unknown - by Clark Ashton Smith

On EBAY, here.

When does you character die in Powers & Perils?

First of all, the way HIT POINTS VALUE (HPV) - are calculated in Powers & Perils is beautiful and highly reasonable, unlike the way they are calculated in AD&D:

HPV= Strenght value + Stamina value (which is the same as Constitution in AD&D) + Constitution value (which represents the physical health of a character) / 4

so, to sum it up:

HPV= (S+St+C) /4

 Then you have to take into account DAMAGE TOLERANCE VALUE:

((C/20) +Stamina bonus) x (-1), round up.

You usually end up having a DTV of -3, -4 or something like that.

Last, you calculate your Lethality index.
Each character has a Lethality Index. The value = DTV * 4. If your DTV is -4, your LI is -16.
Effects are as follows:

Between 0 and DTV - The character is limited and semiconscious. He may take one action per tactical turn OR move MR/10 (RU) in a tactical turn. When less than DTV and not less than LI - The person is unconscious. Less than LI - Dead.

When a wound is suffered that leaves the character with an HPV value less than ONE, a roll is taken on the Death Table, (a sort of "critical hit table") so that if you are unlucky and roll a 20, you can instantly die (head severed, for example). But this dpends on the potency of the blow received.
If, for instance, you received a severe or DEADLY blow, it is likely you will die if you roll on the DEATH table.

So, to sum up: you calculate your HPV, then DTV and your LI value.

The Compleat Tavern (1981-1983?)

LINK

Who will re-release this for the OSR community?

I think it can be done, if the author is still around. I am eagerly waiting

As our Powers & Perils adventure unfolds

Ennon: Human herbalist, he had to escape from the city because in the past he was accused of murdering a king. Now they are chasing him. He heard bad news about guards that are looking for him,so the tavern owner warns him, he has to escape.

Gunnard Martin: Warrior, he can fight with two weapons (sword and hand axe). He is approached by the elf named Darrel, the elf has a letter to give him. The letter was written by the elven King Locklomin, it is a strange letter where the king tells Gunnard to go to his castle as soon as possible.

Gunnard is flabbergasted when he receives the letter- he never met the elven king Locklomin but his father told him that he was a friend of him in his youth and Gunnard's father even went on war with the king once, where Locklomin eventually saved his life. So Gunnard just doesn't hesitate an instant, and he moves towards the Castle of the seven towers.

At the same time, Gunnard has to stay near Ennon, the herbalist, because he has a wounded limb and the herbalist is the only one able to cure him at the moment. So all the three of them (Darrel, Gunnard and Ennon) starts their journey to the castle.

It seems other persons are interested in reaching the castle, strange figures moving around the city. Is there anything important at the castle waiting to be discovered?

While on journey, Ennon has an odd dream where he sees himself sorrounded by strange tall men clad in black garments, in a frozen land where he alone is roaming. Those men are whispering commandingly something to his ears (or to his brain), he can't understand what THEY WANT. He looks back and sees Darrel with a shining arrow inside his stomach, he seems on the point of dying. 

On their journey, they meet some thieves/bandits, and they have to fight with them.They succeed, and after the fight Gunnard (who has the skill of "executioner" begins torturing one of them). This poor man confesses that a group of 50 of his comrades - all belonging to a sort of sect of thieves- are heading to the castle of the seven towers, because Cebracon, chief of the thieves- ordered them to go on this mission to steal something in the castle. He doesn't know more).

On the following night dark clouds gather in the sky.

During that night, a cloud seems to descend on earth and from it there emerges a nightmarish vision, a creature from the abyss, an Arch-Devil.

As soon as he appears, this music is heard (at the table, by my players):


He says to the characters they have to take something which is hidden at the castle of the seven towers, an object that he himself is not able to take, because King Locklomin's powers prevent him from entering the gate of the castle.

He speaks as if that was an order which cannot be refused by the characters.At the end of this diabolical conversation, he offers to the characters, as a gift (and to help them in their quest)- four objects which are lying on the ground. He promises great wealth to them, should they do his will, and together with the objects there appears a bag full of golden coins on the ground.
The player characters see a green cloak, four azure potions, a glaring ring and a sword.
The characters, scared, decide not to take any of them. The Arch-devil disappears, saying he will chase them and avenge in case they won't do what he ordered. He says they may have a good, enjoyable and long life OR a life full of torments.

END OF SESSION 3

The world is an eternal dream

That is the title of the french version of Powers & Perils (Le Monde est un Rêve Eternel), located here.

For whoever can read the language, you'll find there plenty of material, and several different versions of the game (revised, french version, consolidated,corrected), as you can see here.

So, besides the official international community Powersandperils.org (only 61 game masters able to play this game in the world- counting me -according to this list), Powers & Perils has a legacy in France, too.

Richard Snider's collected wisdom - PART I

(RIGHT CLICK, "OPEN IN NEW WINDOW", THEN ZOOM IN)

Announcing "The Compleat Fantasist" project (help needed)

 AT LAST . . . no longer need characters from system be stuck there. And never more will you have to arbitrarily decide how to change personal statistics to fit a different set of rules. Fantasy role playing veteran Mark Wagner gives guidelines to help convert many parts of each system to the others, and describes aspects that don't convert well.

"The compleat fantasist" was published by Dimension six in 1980.

LINK1
LINK2

It aims to provide tables in order to enable the conversion among the major fantasy rpg's of that time.
I came to obtain a copy of this little book (i was after it for quite some time), and i am in the process of perusing it.

I would like to post its content on the blog, and i think it would be a great idea to expand its scope.
It actually covers: AD&D, Arduin, Tunnels & Trolls and Runequest.

As it says:

 So, i am looking for help from players worldwide. I could do it myself, maybe, but that would be too demanding to accomplish for just one person.

I am going to contact, at least Chivalry & Sorcery and Powers & Perils fans all around the globe on different forums, as well as Empire of the Petal Throne ones.

If you are one of them and would like to help, stay tuned and don't hesitate to contact me on this blog. In any case, this might be a long-term collective effort.

Dragonraid (1984)

http://depositfiles.com/files/29d7e9901

The world where we play

HIGH RESOLUTION HERE:

http://depositfiles.com/files/o5k7kplu3

Monsters! Monsters! (1976)

MEDIAFIRE

4SHARED

The Dark Eidolon - The journal of Smith studies - issue III

I'm looking for this, someone can help?

I am willing to buy a copy, it is quite rare and i only own volume 2 (which i bought several years ago directly from Necronomicon press together with a cassette tape with the recording of Smith's voice).

Someone should really scan this little volume and put it online. If i am not wrong, on Eldritch dark volume 2 is already online in its entirety, but volume 3 is sorely missed. Hence, i leave this post here for posterity.

Help us find "The Dark Eidolon" issue 3.

If you don't buy this you are not into the OSR, really.

I just got my copy today (thank you, anonymous!)

It's great, inspiring, seems excellent. I can't believe anyone claiming to be in the OSR without perusing this little treasure. Get your copy here for just 15 dollars.

 

Bloggers that would deserve more followers

THE ONGOING CAMPAIGN: This guy has already written some excellent posts about obscure fantasy rpg's.

Besides feeling less lonely now that i found out someone else is concerned with forgotten gems from the past, Faoladh compiled long review of exquisite fantasy games such as "Land of adventure" - which, naturally, everyone should play instead of AD&D. And other posts about Arcanum (how can you not know Arcanum if you are into AD&D?), and Swordbearer, just to cite another example. Check his blog and follow him instead of re-reading every day Grognardia who doesn't seem to have grasped the beauty of Powers & Perils. (but i do love you James, nonetheless).

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAGIC AND MIRACLES, PART III

MAGIC, ON THE THRESHOLD OF MIRACLES?

I think this is the last post in the series, where i am concerned with magic and miracles.

I am fascinated by how Magic was conceived in Middle ages, and by the theological views about the nature of God.

Basically, that is why i cannot find satisfaction in how magic is portrayed in AD&D. It is too childish to me, and it fails to have an emotional impact over me.

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A girl had died just in the hour of her marriage, and the bridgegroom was following her bier lamenting as was natural his marriage left unfulfilled, and the whole of Rome was mourning with him, for the maiden belonged to a consular family. Apollonius then witnessing their grief, said: "Put down the bier, for I will stay the tears that you are shedding for this maiden." And withal he asked what was her name. The crowd accordingly thought that he was about to deliver such an oration as is commonly delivered as much to grace the funeral as to stir up lamentation; but he did nothing of the kind, but merely touching her and whispering in secret some spell over her, at once woke up the maiden from her seeming death; and the girl spoke out loud, and returned to her father’s house, just as Alcestis did when she was brought back to life by Hercules. And the relations of the maiden wanted to present him with the sum of 150,000 sesterces, but he said that he would freely present the money to the young lady by way of a dowry. Now whether he detected some spark of life in her, which those who were nursing her had not noticed,--for it is said that although it was raining at the time, a vapour went up from her face—or whether life was really extinct, and he restored it by the warmth of his touch is a mysterious problem which neither I myself nor those who were present could decide.

(Flavius Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius, 4:45).

[...]And in just keeping with his visits to the Arabians were the studies he undertook among the Persians also, according to the account given by the same author. For after forbidding Damis, so we are told, to go to the magi, though Damis was his only pupil and companion, he went alone to school with them at midday and about midnight; alone in order not to have as his companion in the study of magic one who was clearly without a taste for such things. And again when he came to converse with Vardan the Babylonian king, it is related that he addressed him as follows: "My system of wisdom is that of He professed the wisdom of PythagorasPythagoras, a man of Samos, who taught me to worship the gods in this way and to recognize them, whether they are seen or unseen, and to be regular in converse with the gods."

The "miracles" performed by Apollonius caused great consternation in the young Christian Church. Justin Martyr, the great Church Father of the second century, pertinently asked:

"How is it that the talismans of Apollonius have power over certain members of creation, for they prevent, as we see, the fury of the waves, the violence of the winds, and the attacks of wild beasts. And whilst Our Lord's miracles are preserved by tradition alone, those of Apollonius are most numerous, and actually manifested in present facts, so as to lead astray all beholders?"

[...]Everywhere Apollonius received almost divine honors and legends about him grew up everywhere. His capacity for clairvoyance enabled him to make predictions that were verified by events and which had the effect of increasing his fame. He had no difficulty in escaping Nero's persecution of philosophers, and his admirers said that when confronted with the tribunal that was to try him, he was able, through his Hermetic art, to erase the writing on the document on which his indictment was written.

http://archive.org/details/apolloniusoftyan00camprich

http://archive.org/details/apolloniusoftyan00meaduoft

http://archive.org/details/lifeofapollonius00newmuoft

http://archive.org/details/lifeofapollonius01phil

 

Heroes (1979) to be re-published soon

GO HERE