Monday Tournament Of Dragons

Last week's winner is Issue #84.  Looks like the half-orc were-tiger got no love in the voting.




Today'scontest is between Issue #199 and Issue #72.  Is the "catfish" dragon your favorite, or the black dragon with the impossibly long tail?


Vote in the sidebar poll Monday Tournament of Dragons.

Friday Tournament Of Dragons

Last week's winner is Issue#331.  I guess being over-prepared paid off!




This week is a really tough one.  Issue #48 versus Issue #25.  Anyone know who's the artist of #25, It didn't say in my digital copy, but I'm not sure there's not some missing pages.

Dragon #48 by Phil Foglio
Dragon #25
Vote in the sidebar poll Friday Tournament of Dragons.

Thursday Tournament Of Dragons

Last week's winner is Isue #164.  Zombie ninjas, baby!
This week is Issue #75 versus Issue #211.  Summer vacation, D&D style takes on the zombie guard.  Can the zombies make it two for two?

Dragon #75 by Jack Crane
Dragon #211 by Brom
Vote in the sidebar poll Thursday Tournament of Dragons.

Wednesday Tournament Of Dragons

The winner from last Wednesday is Issue #235.
This week is Issue #144 versus Issue #189.  Too bad that #189's is only part of Peter Clarke's painting, as it really is much more impressive in totality.

Dragon #144 by Daniel R. Horne
Dragon #189 by Peter Clark
Vote in the sidebar poll Wednesday Tournament of Dragons.

Coloring The Dungeon

  So I had this weird dream two nights ago.  The internet was one huge dungeon, and each room was a different website.  I was in Grognardia when James M. realized that we were being spied upon by Illithids in the ceiling (yeah, made no sense to me either).  James decided to abandon "Grognardia Red", as he called it, for "Grognardia Blue", another room that looked the same, except for the colors.  In Grognardia Red, everything was either a shade of red, or black, and in Grognardia Blue everything was, of course,  either blue or black.

  The colors were not garish or bright, instead being very muted and subtle, and even though each room was furnished exactly the same, the color difference really affected the mood and tone.  This started me thinking of color in dungeons.  Usually shades of grey or brown, I thought of how my players would react to a room like Grognardia Red, and I think they'd be freaking out.  They'd just "know" there would have to be a reason everything was red, even if there wasn't. 

  I may have to try this out next session on a random dungeon room. 

Old School Renaissance Acronym Glossary & Dictionary

Another addition to the OSRAGD, TPK.  How in the hell did I miss that one?

TPK - Total Party Kill, where all the adventurers die in one encounter.  Usually the result of inexperienced players, incautious players, or just plain bad luck and bad dice rolls.

Suggestions are always welcome, as new acronyms are always popping up!

Tuesday Tournament of Dragons

The winner from last Tuesday is Issue #228.




It's been twenty contests so far, which brings us to the second round of eliminations for the first group.  This means Issue #14 is taking on Issue #222.

Dragon #14 by Steve Oliff
Dragon #222 b y Hung Mac
 Vote in the sidebar poll Tuesday Tournament of Dragons.

Monday Tournament Of Dragons

Last Monday's winner is Issue #188.  Apparently no one liked the werewolf, since it received zero votes.




This week it's Issue #93 versus Issue #84.  That were-tigress is so ugly I'm inclined to think she's a half-orc!

Dragon #93 by Jeff Busch
Dragon #84 "Ian Dinwood's Martian Moment" by Dean Morrissey
Vote in the sidebar poll Monday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner declared next Monday.

Mystery Dice

  I recently won some old dice on an eBay auction, and in the group were these three d8s.



  They are about 1.5 times the size of a regular Gamescience or Chessex d8, with the yellow one numbered 1-8, the orange going from 2-9, and the blue is 10-17!  Anyone know where these dice are from? 

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

  As John said in the comments...
I hope the plunderer on #331 has a companion to assist him when he falls on his back and can't get back on his feet. :)
In case you really, really want to play that guy, here's some minis made just for you!


OK, so everything plus the kitchen sink!

Friday Tournament Of Dragons

Last Friday's winner is Issue #100!  No surprise, really, as it is one of the most unique Dragon covers produced.
This week Issue #259 takes on Issue #331.  There seems to be a "sweet spot" in Dragon covers, a period where the artwork was just superb, and unfortunately both these pieces are past that point.  While they're OK, they just don't have the impact that a lot of the earlier covers do.  I wonder if people who started playing D&D later feel any different about these magazine covers?

Dragon #259, "the Campaign" by Stephen Daniele
Dragon #331 by Steve Prescott
 Vote in the sidebar poll Friday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner declared next Friday.

Thursday Tournament Of Dragons

Last Thursday's winner is Issue #63, and here I thought Larry Elmore's piece was a shoe-in!




This week's contest is Issue #164 versus Issue #22.  I'm not sure what they were thinking for Issue #22, having a drawing, miniatures, and a photograph all on the cover, but Issue #164 has zombie ninjas!  Life needs more ninjas in it!

Dragon #164 by Jim Holloway
Dragon #22
Vote in the sidebar poll marked Thursday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner declared next Thursday.

Wednesday Tournament Of Dragons

Showing that black and white can be just as evocative as color, Wednesday's winner is Issue # 184.




Today's matchuo is Issue #235 versus Issue #321.  Issue #235 is somewhat historical, being the first 100% digital inage used for a Dragon Magazine cover.  Too bad it's not a great picture.  Issue #321 is rather confusing to me.  I can't tell just what's happening.  Are they fighting or dancing? 

Dragon #235
Dragon #321 by Arnie Swekel
Vote in the poll marked Wednesday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner declared next Wednesday.

Destroying The Adventurers, But In A Fair And Balanced Way

  So I'm cruising Google for the best definition of Rule Zero I can find, when I come across this on TVTropes.com.
This, however, is completely the opposite of Gary Gygax's intended idea of a DM. In Gygax's mind, the DM is effectively a wrathful god, bent on destroying the adventurers, but in a fair and balanced way. In a Gygaxian-style game, a Player Kill would happen about once every other session, and a Total Party Kill perhaps once every five. The TV character is more akin to modern D&D, in which PK's are rare and woeful events.
Now where in the hell did that come from?

Tuesday Tournament of Dragons

Last Tuesday winner is Issue #96.




This week it's Issue #228 versus Issue #220.Not sure I'd be wanting to go full speed through the forest on a horse, with only a torch for light, while wearing a helmet that restricts your vision as much as Issue #220's does.

Dragon #228 by Jim Holloway
Dragon #220 "Only the Light Keeps Them Back" by David Horne
Vote in the sidebar poll marked Tuesday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner declared next Tuesday.

Monday Tournament Of Dragons

After the tie last week, this week the zombie pulled ahead of the guys riding on frogs to be the winner, Issue #211.




This week is Issue #188 versus Issue #213.  #188 is by Larry Elmore, and is part of a series on the four seasons, this being Winter, of course.

Dragon # 188 by Larry Elmore
Dragon #313 by Wayne Reynold
Vote in the sidebar poll marked Monday Tournament of Dragons.   Winner declared next Monday.

Adventures In Rhymargg Session 6, Norgard's Daughter

Roll Call
Auric the Warrior (1st Level Fighter)
Grimslade the Magician (1st Level Magic-User)
Indel the Wiley (1st Level Thief)
Saren the Wise (1st Level Cleric)
Tirra the Quick (1st Level Thief)
Valerius the Brave (1st Level Fighter)
4 Men-at Arms (Mersa<female>, Relric, Unloc, Dorin <dwarf>)
5 Bearers (Partik, Kalus, Thodric, Samloc, and Relstad)

The Story So Far
  As out adventurers approached the doorway behind which the goblins had Norgard's daughter captive, a blood-curdling scream that turned into a howl was heard.  Before the portal could be opened, the cries of dying goblins then silence came next.  Entering the natural cavern, a scene of horror greeted the players.  Two goblins lay eviscerated on the floor, between them was a large creature, covered in coarse hair with a wolf-like head, clothed in the tattered remains of a dress.  Guessing that this was Deliana, Norgard's daughter, transformed into a werewolf, the party hesitated, not sure of what action to take.  The werewolf had no such compulsion, and viciously tore into poor little BP (the goblin bagpipe player the PC's were using as a guide), tearing the poor creature in two.

 Not exactly sure how to use it, Grimslade the magician boldly approached the werewolf with a sprig of wolfsbane, hoping it would have an effect.  It did, and the werewolf morphed into a human female and collapsed on the ground.  She was indeed Norgard's daughter, and had been journeying to Elendom with her grandfather when they were ambushed by the goblins.

  Two days ago she was attacked by a large wolf as it killed the livestock on Norgard's farm.  Fearing that the wolf was more than it appeared, her grandfather decided that Brother Faudron in Elendom was her only chance to avoid lycanthropy.  Now with her father and grandfather dead, poor Deliana did not know what to do.

  After spending the rest of the night holed up in Grokkus' chamber, the party journeyed on to Norgard's farm.  Deliana, after much consoling, decided to join the party after Saren, Tirra, and Mersa convinced her that she could be more than just a poor farmer.  Setting out for the town of Elendom,  the journey was uneventful.

  It was almost sunset when the party arrived in Elendom.  After a well-earned night's rest at the inn, the party was directed to Zundus Dashaver, the town scribe and historian.  There were questions to be answered about the sword the party had found in the ruins of Zenopus' tower, plus the ivory wizard figurine.  Grokkus' short sword also needed investigation, as it was not of goblin origin, and the runes carved into the blade might offer a clue to it's secrets.

  Zundus recognized the long sword from local legends, being forged by the elves long ago to combat Avissar Fire-eye, a long dead wizard who despoiled the lands around Elendom.  It's abilities are not known, but there elvish script on the blade that only shows up after the sword has been immersed in flame.  Zundus translated the text, Maegnas Aen Ester Lhach Dae, Dagnir In Nar Im,  "Flame Shadow is my name, for I am the fire's bane".

More to come...

Friday Tournament of Dragons

Last Friday's winner is Issue #72.






This week is Issue #33 versus Issue #100.  It's a painting against a paper sculpture, very interesting!

Dragon #33, "Dragon's Lair" by John Barnes
Dragon #100 by Dennis Kauth
Vote in the sidebar poll marked Friday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner declared next Friday.

Hot Elf Chick - Welcome To The OSR

Hot Elf Chick
WELCOME TO THE OSR


  A lot has changed since 1974, when the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons first came out.  If you have fond memories of playing D&D back in the day, a new player who just isn't feeling the direction that 4th Edition D&D has gone, or are someone who has never played the game before, we welcome you to the OSR - Old School Renaissance.  Here's some links to what the whole movement is about, and if some of the acronyms or terms seem a little confusing at first (0E? BECMI?), take a look at my Old School Renaissance Acronym Glossary & Dictionary.

Lamentations of the Flame Princess!

More Hot Elf Chicks, of Another Variety

Old School Renaissance Acronym Glossary & Dictionary

Here's the OSRAGD all in one post.  I've also made a separate page for this as well.  Again, if anyone has any suggestions for additions to the list, just let me know!

0-9

  0e - Zero Editon, the original, 3 volume set of Dungeons & Dragons, first published in 1974.

  1e - First Edition, also known as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, published between 1977 and 1988.

  2e - Second Edition, a restart of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, published between 1989 and 1999.

  3e - Third Edition, dropping the Advanced label, Dungeons & Dragons published between 2000 and 2002.

  3.5e - Three Point Five Edition, Dungeons & Dragons revised, published between 2003 and 2007.

  3.Xe - Third Edition and Three Point Five Edition.

  4e - Fourth Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, published 2008 - Current.

A

  AD&D - Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

  ADD - Adventures Dark and Deep.

  Adventures Dark and Deep - A retro-clone "what if" RPG, specifically, what a second edition of AD&D might have looked like had Gary Gygax not been ousted from TSR.

  AEC - Advanced Edition Companion, a supplementary rule set for Labyrinth Lord, allowing players and DM's to use characters, rules, monsters, and magical items from First Edition AD&D.

B

  BD&D - Basic Dungeons & Dragons, a continuation of Original D&D, Basic D&D was published from 1977 to 1999, and had six total revisions.

  Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game - A rules-light system based loosely on 3.5E D&D, inspired by the earlier versions of D&D

  BECMI - Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal: Basic Dungeons & Dragons version with Frank Mentzer as editor.  Covered levels 1-36, plus another 36 as an immortal.  Published from 1983  to 1990.

  BFRPG - Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game.

  Black Box - The 1991 New, Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons Game, the fourth revision of Basic D&D,  served as introductory set to the Rules Cyclopedia and covered levels 1-5.  Sometimes used for all Basic D&D sets from 1991 to 1999, though not all came in black boxes.

  Blue Box -  The first Basic D&D set, published in 1977 and edited by Eric J. Holmes.  Covered levels 1-3 and was more closely related to Original D&D than later sets.  Also the only edition in which the magic-user spell Magic Missile required a to-hit roll.

  BRP - Basic Role-Playing,  Chaosium's percentile, skill-based system that originated with RuneQuest, and underpins Stormbringer, Worlds of Wonder, Call of Cthulhu, Superworld, Ringworld, Elfquest, Hawkmoon, Elric!, and Nephilim.

  B/X - The second revision of Basic D&D, included the Tom Moldvay edited Basic Set and the Expert Set edited by Dave Cook and Steve Marsh.  Covers level 1-14 and was only published from 1981 to 1982.

C

  C&C - Castles and Crusades.

  Castles & Crusades - A rules-lite RPG based on the SIEGE engine system, which uses many of the systems from 3E D&D.

  Classic D&D - Can mean Basic D&D, or Basic D&D and 0E.

D

  D20STL - d20 System Trademark License, a license from Wizards of the Coast allowing third-party vendors to use certain trademarks and logos.  Revoked by Wizards of the Coast in 2008 and replaced with the GSL (Game System License).

  D20 System - The basic game mechanics that underlie 3.X D&D.

  Dark Dungeons - A retro-clone of Rules Cyclopedia D&D.

  Dark Fate RPG - A low-fantasy horror RPG based on the reto-clone Swords & Wizardy.

  DCC RPG - Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG,  an upcoming RPG that is not a retro-clone, more a reimagining of D&D if it was created with access to the OGL back in 1974. 

  DMG - Dungeon Masters Guide

  Dungeonslayers - A rules-lite RPG that is free and released under a Creative Commons License.


E

  Endgame - The point in D&D where the characters retire from adventuring to build castles and strongholds, engaging in diplomacy and war while running their "kingdom", be it a keep on the borderlands, a wizard's tower, or a new thief's guild in town.

F

  FLGS - Friendly Local Game Store, a dying breed of retailer.

  FNGS - Friendly Neighborhood Game Store, not as commonly used as FLGS.

G

  GSL - Game System License, successor to the D20STL and OGL.  Much more restrictive than it's predecessors.

L

  Labyrinth Lord - A retro-clone of the B/X D&D rule set.

  LBB's -  The Little Brown Books, a reference to the three booklets that made up 0E D&D.  The parchment-colored, digest sized booklets are Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures.

  LL - Labyrinth Lord

M

  Megadungeon - A dungeon so large, and constantly changing, it could challenge a party from 1st level through to the endgame.  While Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson both created megadungeons for their home campaigns (Castle Greyhawk and Castle Blackmoor), neither was ever published.

  Microlite20 -  A simplified, rules-lite version of the D20 system.

  Microlite74 - A simplified, rules-lite version of the D20 system that recreates the feel and style of 0E D&D.  The 74 in Microlite74 is a reference to the year 0E D&D was first published, 1974.

O

  OA - Oriental Adventures

  OD&D - Original Dungeons and Dragons, another name for 0E D&D.  Sometimes the Holmes set is included.

  OEC - Original Edition Characters, a supplement to Labyrinth Lord that provides rules for characters from 0E D&D in place of the default B/X D&D characters in Labyrinth Lord.

  OGC - Open Game Content, any material release under the Open Gaming License (OGL).

  OGL - Open Gaming License, an open-source license released by Wizards of the Coast in 2000.  While it was commonly used with the D20STL up until 2003, it's now used mainly to publish retro-clones of previous editions of D&D.

  OPD - One Page Dungeon

  OSR - Old School Renaissance, a surge in popularity of previous editions of D&D. Common themes are are megadungeons, sandbox campaigns, and an emphasis on player rather than character skills.  Matthew J. Finch's A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming articulates many of these concepts quite well.

  OSRIC - Old School Reference & Index Compilation, a retro-clone of 1E AD&D.

R

  RC - Rules Cyclopedia.

  Retro-Clone - A replica of an out-of-print game, usually based on a previous version of D&D, but not limited to that.  Many retro-clones take advantage of the OGL.

  RQ - RuneQuest

  Rules Cyclopedia - A compilation of the D&D Basic BECMI ruleset in hardcover format.

S

    S&W - Swords & Wizardy.

  Sandbox - A style of campaign play where there is no pre-scripted plot the players are guided to, rather the actions of the players help determine the direction the campaign takes.

  SRD - System Reference Document, a compilation of OGC released onder the OGL by WotC.

  Swords & Wizardry - An 0E D&D retro-clone.

W

  WotC - Wizards of the Coast, the current owners and publishers of Dungeons & Dragons.

Old School Renaissance Acronym Glossary & Dictionary, Part 4

R

  RC - Rules Cyclopedia.

  Retro-Clone - A replica of an out-of-print game, usually based on a previous version of D&D, but not limited to that.  Many retro-clones take advantage of the OGL.

  RQ - RuneQuest

  Rules Cyclopedia - A compilation of the D&D Basic BECMI ruleset in hardcover format.

S

    S&W - Swords & Wizardy.

  Sandbox - A style of campaign play where there is no pre-scripted plot the players are guided to, rather the actions of the players help determine the direction the campaign takes.

  SRD - System Reference Document, a compilation of OGC released onder the OGL by WotC.

  Swords & Wizardry - An 0E D&D retro-clone.

W

  WotC - Wizards of the Coast, the current owners and publishers of Dungeons & Dragons.

  That's all I've found so far.  If anyone knows of any more that should be on the list, just let me know!

Thursday Tournament Of Dragons

The winner of last Thursday's Tournament of Dragons is Issue #199.  Not sure if it's really a dragon  that's miffed at the little adventurer dude or not, but I love the "whiskers" the beastie has!






Today's contest is between Issue #150 and Issue #63.  We've got a witch and her scarecrow (the glowing eyes just make it so menacing) versus a highway robbery scene. 

Dragon #150 by Larry Elmore
Dragon #63 by James Warhola
Vote in the sidebar poll marked Thursday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner revealed next Thursday.

Wednesday Tournament Of Dragons

Last week's winner is Issue #25!  It really is a good cover, and I think it will go far in the tournament.


Today's tournament is a contrast in styles, Issue #184 versus Issue #193.  We have a black and white composition taking on a very colorful work.  It'll be interesting to see which people like best!

Dragon #184 by Robh Ruppel
Dragon #193 by Raymond Van Tilburg

Vote in the sidebar poll marked Wednesday Tournament of Dragons.  Winner revealed next Wednesday.
 
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