370 Sessions. So whats next for the ALMOST Campaign.

370 sessions. Wow. This is the number of sessions our weekly gaming club has now committedly invested in our ALMOST Campaign. It really is a testament to the players in our gaming club that we have kept this up for this long. To think this Campaign started as an OD&D one-shot back in 2015 and just naturally grew over time into what is has become today. 

Back in 2015 we our gaming club made the switch from Pathfinder & 5e to OD&D and White Box launching our exploration into the OSR and Old School Gaming. The journey has been amazing and during our run we have explored such systems as lamentations Of The Flame Princess, Castles & Crusades, Swords & Wizardry Complete, Labyrinth Lord, OSE, Dungeon World and a few others.

BUT we always come back to our bread and butter, OD&D. 

So what's next?

Well, we will be continuing our weekly ALMOST Campaign though now that we are high level we will either be creating some high level homebrew material for White Box or possibly using Swords & Wizardy Complete.

Also as many of our club members know ALMOST does contain a few Megadungeons which have never been explored. First up is The Tower Of September a very large 23 level megadungeon where each level is uniquely themed to dying worlds as the dungeon holds gateways into many decaying realties.

The second Megadungeon is located in the Metal Mountains and was once home to an alien race of mechanical elves and holds the secrets to the origins of the Delnochian race and their ancient alien devices known as Ruathain. These relics have been the main driving force behind our ongoing campaign since our very first session when we first explored playing OD&D. I know that over the years there has been a lot of speculation into the origins of the Delnochian race and their devices and so it is now time to answer those questions while allowing players both old and new to roll up new PC's and to some good ol fashioned dungeon diving.

Now for these Megadungeons I will be following many of the golden rules and design philosophies from the early days of the hobby taking great inspiration from the dungeons of Greyhawk & Blackmoor. I am not looking to reinvent the wheel simply design an old school dungeon and let things happen organically from there.

I am really excited for these Megadungeons and cant wait to see how they shake things up for club members. I know that there has been a lot of interest lately by newer members in perhaps running a new campaign for the newer members who don't have the history with ALMOST or have been a bit intimidated by making a commitment to weekly/bi-weekly attendance in our main campaign, so I think that running these Megadungeons will really open the table up for both newer and potential members. It will also allow for open table, drop in style play where no commitments will be necessary.

One teaser I would like to drop in regards to one of the Megadungeons is that it will serve as an origins story behind the Egg Of Coot of Blackmoor fame. I cant wait! I have pages of blank obituaries printed and begging to be filled.

WB:FMAG Compatible Logo

A mega shout out to Matt for creating these awesome WB:FMAG Compatible logo's.

They can be found over at Matt's site here:

Bordello

 The vile city of flesh corrupt, built into the remains of a dying Aghori Blood God. Where all needs are satiated. Home to the Thaumaturgs and their creation Vats. Blood, flesh and addiction are the currency here, but beware you may not leave. The city is a prolific exploration of dark desires. Pushing the boundaries of the flesh and the ecstasies it can endure. It is here within the Flesh Parlors, Amanaya- the Goddess of Love is to be found. Pimped and poised, a tragedy of desire. Her addictions many. Slave to any- for a fix. Deep beneath the city Flesh Vats grow living meat which has provided a Bordello with a monopoly on the protein market throughout the lands. But there are far more darker and more sadistic happenings occurring deep beneath the city, things that keep the city slumbering, for if it were to awake it would tear a whole in the very fabric of existence.

Chained by the awakening of the flesh. It is here that the roaming blood towers return upon each new moon to satiate the cities hunger, and the foundry's meat production.

Dar'Forge

A borderland stronghold and home to Forge Master Kragus, Keeper of the First Forge. Famed and feared forger of Sentient haunted blades. The metal he uses for his blades comes from the Tomb Of The Metal Mage, located in the Mountains of Rust just south of the stronghold. It is rumored that his blades are the reason Gods no longer walk the lands and have been hunted to extinction.

Laddernack

The tiered city. The only entrance to its upper levels is through a rise in status or increase in nobility. Five tiers ascend the floating marvel known only as the rock, from which it’s built.

At ground level and within the cast shadows of the rock are the Slums. Notorious for it’s cut throats and thieves guilds. It is here one will find the Skaag rookeries, for the beasts are not permitted within the city proper.

A central lift is the cities most prominent feature and serves as the primary access between it’s levels. Reserved exclusively for nobility and permitted merchants.

It is whispered that hidden behind their estate walls forbidden rites are practiced amongst the noble houses as the cultists offer sacrifice and worship to the Old Ones. Street urchins are regularly lured by recruiters with the promise of silver and luxury to work the estates above, most never return to the Slums.

Ridoom

High up on a bare mountain plateau sits an ancient ziggurat city carved from the mountain rock upon which it sits. A labyrinthine system of booby-trapped passages and cave tunnels acts as the only entrance up to the plateau. The ancient plateau contains tablets from an ancient civilization depicting beings descending from beyond the stars and of a great war involving strange unbelievable technologies. It is from Ridoom that all lineages of Armiger clans descend from.

Light-Haven

The City of Temples is ground zero for the mysterious blazing column of light that descends from the sky, bathing the city’s largest central temple in a glorious luminescence, permeating the entire city in blinding divine light. It is here the Lesser Heralds of the 2nd Legion and the Greater Heralds of the 1st Legion are based. Only the ordained are permitted within the walls. All touched by the light posses albino features, their faces hidden behind masks that shield their eyes. These are the Light Born.

Under the banner of the Radiant Sun, The Greater Heralds are oath-sworn never to reveal their faces as they crusade against the remnants of decaying magic and hunt the now mortal pantheon of Aghori Blood Gods. The exalted Greater Heralds of the 1st Legion carry Mercurial armor and weapons' that deaden magical effects. The life span of these fanatics are limited as mercurial armor and weapons cause madness over time.

Lighthaven is ruled by the Arch Bishop Ignatius. Ruler Supreme and sole channeler and bestower of the light. It is his connection alone that grants and empowers the Greater and Lesser Heralds. Arch Bishop Ingatius very rarely grants audience, and is never seen in public, instead spending his time hidden away deep in meditation and contemplation; the only way to hold control over the immense power that courses through his physical form.

OD&D Whitebox VS Cthulhu

The Blackmoor Cycle

The Order ran a great one shot that turned into five sessions with six OCD club members. This short mini-campaign was run using the Anomalous Subsurface Environment module and The Land of One Thousand Towers. This AMAZING old-school dungeon and setting module describes the dinosaur- and wizard-infested future of the Earth. It was a ton of fun. Every page of this module drips inspiration.

The PC's explored a massive mist shrouded tower out at sea atop of which sat a domed city. Their was an epic sea battle with a monstrous eldritch Octopus that descended from the blackened clouds into the sea to attack their ship. They found a teleportation portal into the city after solving a puzzle and found themselves far, far in the future. A nuclear bomb was detonated, and the city along with its Elder Gods destroyed. It was then that the PC's realized that this was not the first time they had been to the Yellow City. In fact the bones from all their previous deaths, is what the very city itself had been built from. They survived the devastation through magical means, only to realize that they would never leave what remained of the ruined city. They were trapped in a time loop and in a far future or past, would become they very Eldritch Gods which they had destroyed, only for the cycle to repeat. Tower-City-Destruction.

Because of all the firearms and explosives in the Anomalous Subsurface Environment and The Land of One Thousand Towers we needed to institute some firearm's rules but overall we had a blast and I would love to explore this module more in the future. It would be a great tie-in to a longer Blackmoor Campaign.

The Orders Top 5 Favorite Things About White Box

With so many great OSR games out there why has The Order embraced Whitebox: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game as our OD&D Retro-clone of choice, and what is it about the game we love so much that we have been running a weekly Campaign using it for the past 5+ years.

Well I though I would share The Orders top 5 favorite things about this game.

Top 5 Favorite Things About White Box: FMAG

1.    We absolutely love the unified skill for the Thief. Nobody ever wanted to touch the Thief class in my Swords & Wizardry Complete games so I always house-ruled the unified saving throw as also serving as a unified skill for Thieves.

2.    It's conciseness. To paraphrase from the introduction " The conciseness of White Box is a breath of fresh air after the voluminous and verbose trend in modern fantasy role-playing games". Less is truly more in this case. The game offers enough to spark the imagination and then gets out of the way. What you wont get are pages and pages on monsters, their histories, their lairs their legendary actions and so on and so on. For anyone who doubts conciseness I highly recommend you check out some of the Lamentations of the flame princess books or even Mork Borg. One brief but evocative sentence can inspire a unique and memorable encounter or even an entire 5+ year campaign.

3.    Price Point. The fact that you can buy this book for the price of an americano is a true service to the gaming community and I both thank and salute Charlie Mason for providing the game at cost. On top of that your getting a Players Handbook, Monster Manual and DM's Guide in one easy to carry book that provides a lifetime of fun. To date I think I have easily purchased over 30 of these for my gaming club and as gifts. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the gang pull out their dog eared, highlighted copies on game night.

4.    Size. Love that White Box: FMAG is digest sized. It is so easy to carry a half dozen of these to game night. Hell a copy will even fit into my pocket if I wear the right pants.

5.    Ascending Armor Class. While I love me some Old School OD&D I embrace Ascending Armor Class like a comfortable pair of Pajama's. I just want to wear them all the time, or rather use Ascending AC all the time. It's just easier, combined with the fact that I run games for a lot of people that are new to the hobby and well, it's just easier to grasp while making for an easier transition for those that play newer editions of D&D or Pathfinder and play in my games.

From Pathfinder & 5e to OD&D/White Box: FMAG

 

Back in 2015 our gaming club made the switch from Pathfinder 1e and D&D 5e to Original Dungeons & Dragons in the form of  OD&D retro-clones Swords & Wizardry and White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game, and well, we have never looked back. Our ALMOST Campaign lasted 5+ years of weekly gaming- having started near the end of 2015 and if all goes well and the gang continues to have a great time and be equally invested, our new PATHOS Campaign will hopefully run just as long.

While many games in the OSR scene have come and gone Swords & Wizardry & White Box have stood the test of time, and I hope to see them continue to do so for many more years to come. I know for myself personally and many in our gaming club, we plan on playing these games for man, many years to come.

I cannot recommend these OD&D Retro-clone games enough as they are absolutely terrific rules set.

The Archanic ~ New White Box Class

Genetically attuned to awakening and activating Ruathain (ancient alien eldritch relics). They are able to directly harness the energies of Eldritch Wizardry. But access to such incredible power comes at a cost. Archanics are highly feared and rarely openly display their devices lest they be hunted by the Heralds of Lighthaven of the many guilds that have risen to power and wealth from obtaining such devices.

Users of arcane powers and dark magics, they can be devastating opponents. Their magic however comes at an extreme cost. The more the powers of the Ruathain are drawn upon the more the sentient device embeds itself deeper into the users spinal cord and nervous system via small threadlike silver tendrils, eventually overtaking the host. This process over time transforms the user's body into something alien. A process known as Re-morphosis. It could take a few years or decades for the change to be complete, depending on how often they draw power from their Ruathian.

Weapons and Armor
Sorcerers are able to use light weapons as well as staves, but may not wear any armor or use shields.

Arcane Intelligence
Sorcerers with an intelligence score of 15+ are able to memorize an additional first level spell each day.

Saving Throws
Sorcerers receive a +2 bonus to any saving throw rolls made vs. enchantment or death.

Eldritch Wizardry (Spell Casting)

A sorcerer begins with a Ruathain containing three Eldritch spells: a random first level spell, plus one of their choosing as well as the read magic spell. These spells are inscribed within the sentience of the Archanics Ruathian. Archanics may harvest additional spells into their Ruthain from other Ruathian.

Once per day, following a long rest, a sorcerer may spend at least one hour linking with their Ruathian and putting spells to memory. The number of spells they may memorize each day is listed on the table below. They may memorize the same spell multiple times, and each time an Archanic uses a spell it is lost from their memory.

RE-MORPHOSIS
Once an Archanic spell is cast the Archanic must roll a d20. Upon rolling the spells level or under the Archanic suffers one of the effects on the table below. Effects stack up over time and are cumulative, eventually dramatically altering the appearance of the Armiger as the process of Re-Morphosis takes effect.

d6     Roll Effect
1.      Black veins appear on the body.
2.      All vegetation within 1 mile withers or dies.
3.      Eyes turn completely milky white.
4.      Spine protrudes through the skin.
5.      Head Elongates & teeth fall out.
6.      Skin Greys and hair turns white.