Mail Call

 

A new lot of stuff arrived and I'm kind of buying less and reading what I have more. Ive been doing other creative stuff more of late like music and I'm in a band and probably blowing money on synthesizers and music gear for a while. I am reading what I have already more and lots of comics I'm behind on and hopefully, i get my new glasses and can read novels again. My retro collecting is almost done. A few more Dungeon Magazines Id like but mostly my collection is done. I almost had every cthulhu product ever but seem to have lost interest after playing since 1984. A few recent things I find repetitive and long-winded. Most of the fan-made items have poorish design and art and layouts though some do better.  RQ and glorantha feels quite dated and I'm less into the cultural plunder from the real-world approach and would rather play history or weirder games. The fandom of RQ and Cthulhu is also a factor in my increasing disinterest and both plunder indigenous beliefs quite a bit which I seem to be over. This might change either way. 

Ive been writing less and only doing a three-fold adventure a month without charging on Patreon this year. I did use quite a bit of AI on my last project and the RPG scene has turned on this kind of art and helped push me to write non-gaming stuff and other projects. I struggled to get up a book on LuLu and gave up. I've had more interest in my other non-gaming art projects from people which has had an effect. I think I did occasionally do spit the dummy posts about my lack of interaction in the past - this is more of a fizzle in my interest now.

But I have had a few new items arrive (and I still have a few KS things Im hoping for). Also Im reading new editions of Trigan Empire and finished a DC showcase of The Phantom Stranger - back when he was more enigmatic.

Warlock Traitors Edition 💓💓💓💥
This game gives me a fighting fantasy and early Warhammer/White Dwarf vibe but is simpler to play than either. Though simple has a few good roleplaying features to vary your character backgrounds. It has a good UK 80s grit vibe I like. If I was into a simple system this might be it. Illustrations have a good retro vibe and a few are inspired by the old monster manual. Sometimes art is flawed and crude but it does set up a good vibe. I will keep an eye out for this but unsure If I would get to play outside some one-offs. Might be good for playing with kids.

Update: its a good players' book and the backgrounds are an interesting way to vary characters with only 2 stats. There are races but they don't really give you benefits. For a simple game you could play more than a few sessions before advancement broke the game - you could totally run warhammer or DnD type scenarios with this and mure streamlined and simple than the Fighting Fantasy rpg.

Dungeons & Dragons Behold a search and find adventure 💓💓💥💥
A Where is Wally-type book is on sale at a good price for a hardback. Has some nice busy spreads of crowded fantasy locations and characters to find. I find the heads a bit big and dominating but a fun book to look at and good value. 

Completely Unfathomable 💓💓💓💓
I had Operation Unfathomable and hoped to run one day but this hardback colour cover book contains the contents of that book plus many more. Sitting with my favourite dnd hardbacks and an utter delight. This is a more complete setting and surface world as weird as the underground dungeons of worm and bug people. I was surprised by the size when I received it which is always good. Lots of great and inspiring gonzo G+ style weirdness everybody should have. I somehow got the DCC version but mostly it's pretty system neutral or usable with older-style games. I will sell of my older version now I have this.

Starship Geomorphs 💓💓💓💓
Sourcebook for travellers from Far Future Enterprises based on Robert Pearce's blog of SF maps its a wonderful fantastic must-have for any sf RPG. What metamorphosis ALpha should have done decades ago. Over 700 maps here are great as a hardback and from the PDF you could cut and paste your own deck area. Previously only some online deck plan generators and FASA's Star Riders trilogy had this many useful SF maps. I'd rank this one of the most must-have SF gaming books of all time.

Bottomless PIt of Zorth 💓💓💓💓
An amazing module of high weirdness. At a guess, I would say inspired by Erol Otus Cthulhu Mythos art from the original Deities & Demigods book. In a vast swamp strange mists, slimes and oozes have been coming from a vast alien hole. Within this orifice is a rotating cylindrical staircase leading to multiple dungeon levels and an amazing array of magic slimes, several disgusting ooze gods and lots of magical boons and perils aplenty. I look forward to running this, especially in a more deadly-style old-school game where players like to experiment with strange stuff. Im going to look for more works in the setting as this is an amazing taste product. I could even put it in my Xor setting. Great array of slimy horrors and a chance to be eaten by gods and of causing untold damage to the setting you run it in. A setting with Cthulhu Mythos monsters would work very well with this. I almost considered slipping it into a straight Cthulhu campaign.

Update: I don't quite know how I got this book or where but is on Drive-through RPG