More Mars! ERB Shadows of a Dying World (d20 OGL Skirmisher Publishing)

Man walks into a Bar(-soom) ... 
Barman asks "Why, the four arms?"

I was going to delete much of this (badly-written-brain-blah) post since it revealed far too much about my own fetishes.  Instead I shall leave most of it in as "filler" between product pictures and links, and I ask you, dear browsing reader, dedicated player, to treat it as thus.  Do not worry.  My family and doctor have been informed.

Free eBook, Sir?
A Princess of Mars at the Gutenburg Project
Over 30,900 downloads in the last 30 days.
Incidentally my local Waterstones doesn't seem
to be stocking any E R Burroughs at all.

And suddenly I'm a "co.uk".

Curse you Google!  And now the masks are off!  The English are exposed!  Hmpf.  Oh well, blogger is free I suppose.   ... For now... Mwhahaha .... Evil Capitalism always wins!  Google's stormtroopers are boarding their Boolean AT-ATs as I type.

(...and breathe...)

Back to the Mars!

This whole Mars settings thing is feeling like quite a fad for me, no doubt next week I'll be rattling on about how super Buck Rogers is or "Why won't my friends play Dungeon! with me?"  I'm even wondering whether it's worth going to see the John Carter movie at the cinema, when I know I'll acquire it on budget DVD in four months time.  I'm looking forward to it, it's just my life moves in slow time, but also since starting to read the original A Princess of Mars novel (I have a decaying 1920's copy - acquired by accident with a bunch of Tarzan books which I passed on as a gift for a friend) certain simple discrepancies have made me realise that there's just no point even having the "What Hollywood does to Literature" debate, when the planet Mars in the books does not even have dust, and everyone wanders around naked in a sort of naturist get-back-to-primal-basics fantasy.  Also, since the Green Martians ("Tharks") lay eggs, why is it that every illustrator in comics, books and fan-art they have breasts (all be-it sometimes covered with armour)?

On the subject of exposed boobies it would be amiss not to refer to the politics of attire regarding the, aforementioned princess, Dejah Thoris.  When talking to Carter in A Princess of Mars she implies that Earthmen are somehow perverse in their insistence to "cover their bodies with strange, unsightly pieces of cloth" and that Carter's origins are confusing due to his "absence of grotesque coverings" I mention all of this because I was surprised to read secondhand of a legal challenge by the Edgar Rice Burrough's Estate over Dynamite Entertainment rights to publish Tarzan and 'Mars related publications.

At some point the sexy covers of Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris has come in for criticism for being pornographic - I sort of doubt that this is the main thrust of the fight (just that we're all enjoying citing it ;) ). The irony here is that even with bejeweled thonged-kickers on she's still dressed more formally than in the book.  Perhaps out of this comes the idea that being a Disney movie, the John Carter franchise may be in need of a more wholesome, family-oriented image.  I doubt Burroughs was ever writing for the whole family, I doubt that he was even writing for women readers.  To be honest, the lawyers might as well be arguing about the number of legs different alien animals have and whether those numbers are loyal to the books.  But who knows what the original truth here is because I forgot to read any actual news threads because I had a lovely night in, Google searching Dejah Thoris with "Safe Search" turned off. :)  Not quite work safe, you probably wouldn't get fired, but it's harder to explain to the girlfriend though.  My guilty thoughts are currently being assuaged by me saying "this could be worse, I could Googling the Gor covers..."  Dirty, filthy, dirty boy!  Actually, I'm still in the doghouse for trying for being caught with the Red Sonja cosplay photos on the screen - I'm innocent m'lord!  They was in a game blog!  I'm still not convinced that they could claim "Armour Class 5" on the character sheet ...


Again, I need to say that I hadn't realised that in the original books that there is "no dust" on Mars.  In place of dust, soil or sand is soft coloured fungal flora covering the vast tracts of dried ocean.  So my visions of sword-fights in dusty deserts may have been misplaced.   (I wonder, did Disney at any point consider not to have Mars as particularly desert-like?)  But hey, I don't mind having deserts on Mars -reminds me of Tatooine.  Time for a skiff fight!  (I could have said "Deserts remind me of Frank Herbert's Dune", but no really, Star Wars bounces up and down in my brain first... I know, I know...)

On the subject of monsters with too many legs, I'm finding myself warming now to many RPG monsters of my past which I thought were somehow "improbable".  Come to think of it, the extra limbs on Displacer Beasts and Basilisks are pretty mundane compared to their other powers.  This also reminds me of the fact that two-legged wyverns made better "evolutionary" sense than four legged dragons, but then I was dissapointed that wyverns in D&D didn't breathe fire (okay, I was a bit of a doofus logic-wise and I still am).  I think it was some sort of four-limbed "believable aesthetic".  Burroughs on the other hand (pun! did you see that?) uses extra limbs to remind us that the environment is utterly alien, but then adds aspects of Earthly familiarity, like referring to a creature as a "white ape" (it just also happens have six limbs and a really weird face).  Slowly, I'm getting used to the fact that "many legs" and arms is okay, and I'll be honest Burroughs is way more fun than Wells whose writing 15 years before often tried to justify the look of things with scientific explanation.  Burroughs just goes for it: tusks, extra arms, green ... next!  Suddenly I'm remembering Volturnian monsters in Star Frontiers - no longer do the creatures they seem absurd, but now they are homages to writers like Burroughs.  This is a strange journey I'm on.  ERB is making me appreciate the naffly mutated!

But quick!  To the actual content, man!

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars:
Shadows of a Dying World
$5.99 on DTRPG
http://bit.ly/ERBMarsShadows

Skirmisher Publishing
http://www.skirmisher.com/

I've been particularily enjoying reading a review copy of the re-launched  Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars: Shadows of a Dying World (An OGL Guide to Monsters, Races, and Beasts) - Skirmisher Publishing.

The OGL system in this case is the d20 SRD (D&D3 friendly).  Whilst going crazy for mining customized OD&D books and the Savage Worlds MARS adventures (see blog post), I'd overlooked this well made gem.  A quiet voice is whispering that this probably isn't an "official" Burroughs' Estate approved document, so it might be worth buying it soon, in case it quietly goes underground, but maybe we're just too over cautious these days, after all, some of the actual book texts appear to be out of copyright - hence free ebooks.

Shadows of a Dying World is loyal to its source material.  Excerpts from the novels are used as part of the monster descriptions.  I especially like the fact that some of the monsters can be used as characters (using the Racial Ability Scores Modifiers - a hallmark of 3.5e).  I'd love to play an 8ft tall four armed green-skinned Thark.

But what about armour? Look, the characters in the books barely wear clothes, so D&D plate-mail doesn't really have a place here.  Also, no matter what flavour of D&D armour class you use, there is very little incentive for fighters not to strap metal and leather to exposed parts.  Appendix III in Shadows' provides us with Class Defence Bonuses - which give players just enough of a level-linked boost to AC so that even when they're standing still characters may still survive the slings, arrows and radium guns of outrageous Barsoom.  Loin-clothed barbarian-types are welcome here.

With Feats descriptions and Random Encounter Tables, this product comes over as a succinct, settings based, Monster Manual with extras.  It's all generic enough to make the Mars milieu your own.  Skirmisher Publishing have also included a document built from select tables and text in the SRD to assist with creature building and modifying what's already provided in the text. 

Because this is an OGL product, in theory all you would need is the d20 Source Reference Document and this product to play campaigns on Mars (but if I remember right, the SRD doesn't include character generation so you'll probably enjoy this more if you actual own the rules for Pathfinder, core DnD3/3.5 rule books or d20 fantasy-equivalent).

The many interior illustrations are in a variety of styles, black and white and printer friendly.

For many DMs who are fans of this genre, who use a d20 system, this document will be perfect starting point for encounters with monsters based on adventures from one of the grand-daddies of fantasy.

I'm really grateful that I've had a chance to see this product. It's certainly worth the $6.  It is definitely worthwhile considering if d20/PF/DnD/3-3.5 is your preferred system and you're dying to try out some classic, but brutal, sci-fantasy. :)

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars:
Shadows of a Dying World

$5.99 on DTRPG

http://bit.ly/ERBMarsShadows

_____oOo_____

Rare TSR Warriors of Mars
for OD&D -Taken from the
entry on the Noble Knight
Games site.They can email you
if they get one in stock,
so they can torture you hope
before  they finish you off
with an asking price ;) 
http://bit.ly/TSRWoMNK

Other Burroughsian Martian ("Barsoom") links for sourcing your campaigns:


A Princess of Mars - free book download at Project Gutenburg (other books in the series also available there, but sadly at the moment, no "Venus" books - not that I can find)

Mars/Barsoom settings for Tunnels & Trolls on Trollbridge forum:  "Trolls on Barsoom"

John Carter/Mars settings OD&D / Whitebox/ S&S -see my post here (inc. Grey Elf links)

Also see this respective look on Grognardia at the rare Gygax/Blume Warriors of Mars

> Edgar Rice Burroughs Martian Books - full list on Amazon.com <

Not quite ERB... Dejah Thoris Warlords of Mars (Dynamite Comics) -She's a very modern girl!

You may also want to see the new film.   Disney's website for John Carter.  Ah, look at cute Woola!
Blimey, a film?

Not sure, if I'm ready, myself, I'm too busy speculating on different archaic game systems, and shopping for new ones ... What a life, eh?


Thanks for reading, browsing, clicking, whatever.

Shopping is good for you - it's your duty to spend in the Recession!

RPG shops need your food vouchers.


Now get on that thoat and bag yourself a red-tinted princess!



EDIT 25.03.12
Pulp adventure Mars fans may also like:
 Cavaliers of Mars (Free Quickstart Rules)
and
Tales of the Space Princess RPG (Lulu Print Copy) / Tales of the Space Princess RPG E-Book

OD&D Mars and Conan supplements (plus Moebius and AD&D Reprints)

Lost on a strange planet?
Got extra muscles?
Don't get on with the locals?
(But like the babes?)
Really hate Giant Apes?
BRING IT ON!
p4 (non-TSR edition)
D&D Warrior's of Mars

I've been having some fun raid-mining some links from the OD&D Discussion boards 

Original Dungeons & Dragons* supplements and similar are a wonderful resource for fans of any fantasy system, because they illustrate how a confident DM can remaster their prefer system to suit alternative settings.  They're also of great use to retro/nostalgia/simulcrum clone market which is the closest many of us get to early fantasy role-playing.  Given a choice to adapt sci-fantasy at the moment my head is stuck somewhere between Tunnels & Trolls, S&W Whitebox and Epees & Sorcellaire, since these all offer fastplay combat with magic whilst being simple enough to adapt to any setting.  By the way, I'm avoiding T&T New Khazan here, since the conversion to sci-fi is almost too high-tech - "hi-sci-fantasy"?  We're just talking swords, axes, clubs, maybe low powered rifles (like slow loading cross-bows) - simple armour types.  As far as I'm concerned I'd be happy for the stats of orcs to represent green skinned aliens - maybe add a couple of arms and tusks ... carnivorous apes and dinosaurs can pretty much fill in for all sorts of classical beasties.  I'm certainly not that worried about vehicle-to-vehicle combat when the action is mainly about leaping pirate style from one platform to another and beating the living daylights out of a tribal enemy with a hand-to-hand weapon. -Think Conan on a Tatooine skiff - no lightsabers please, we're sci-fantasy Cimmerian!

*OD&D is generally used to refer to the very original Dungeons & Dragons rules printed in 1974 from TSR (ref Acaeum) which also required the earlier Chainmail rules to play.

Links copied from the Grey Elf's page of classic editions:

Dungeons & Dragons Warriors of Mars, (PDF)

"a Barsoom OD&D supplement by "Doc" from the OD&D forums--based off of the original Warriors of Mars Miniatures Battles game put out by TSR in 1974! He did such neat work I decided to format it to match the other OD&D booklets and offer it here (with his permission, of course"

And since we're talking about Conan...
The Age of Conan (PDF),
Age of Conan II: Secrets of Acheron (PDF)
3-panel DM Screen for the Age of Conan (PDF)


(Grey Elf is also responsible for Elf Lair Games who produce retro-clone Spellcraft and Swordplay -see also my blog post here)

Further expansion Adventures on Mars posted by Gloriousbattle (on Scribd)

For more goodies from where D&D and Mars collide, be sure to visit the Warriors of Mars board on on the OD&D Discussion forum


I'm terribly under read, and I'm aware there's a lot less snogging in the very original books (I've rediscovered a 1920 antique copy of Princess of Mars... but the pages are so yellow I can barely read the text...I'm sure the "princess" is actually the big lizard thing...) but, just for testosterone fueled fun and giggles - here's a Yahoo image search of "Frazetta + Mars" (not always safe for work and hard to explain to the girlfriend) - some of the art are tributes to good old Frazetta.

---

Moebius- an eternal dream loop is cut

Okay, I know that's a bit cheesy, but hey.  Whilst I'm on the subject of artists, I was slightly touched by the news that Moebius had died, whose work is just to vast to describe, so many favourites to list - and to be honest I was less aware of his superhero art, but I knew of graphic novels and film designs.  Google, wiki, and tumblr him - be swept away by the dreamlike imagery, ignore photos of eternal loops. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/17327374

---

First Edition AD&D "Premium" Reprints

Look if you haven't heard about this yet, you really are reading all of the wrong pages!  Wizards of the Coast appear to be receiving pre-orders for the reprints of the 1977 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules.  This is a really interesting move for Wizards and raising money for the Gygax  Memorial Fund seems like a really sweet idea.  I always think that when WotC say that they looking back at earlier editions it's just a ploy to convince players of older editions that they'll like the new unrecognisable ten book system. "It's zee same game"

As Dr Seuss would say:
"Old Hat, New Hat!"
-in a general approval way-
if you now what I mean. :)
The original covers for
the MM can be seen here

So if you're not sure about buying smelly old editions from ebay or a shiny Lulu copy of OSRIC has no interest for you, then this is your opportunity to read the texts many of us worshipped back in the way-back salad-years hazy-70s-80s day.

If they truly are identical, and you only want to buy one book, I really must recommend the Dungeon Masters Guide, which is organised is the strangest of ways, but is a delight to read - also note that in the appendix is a full list of monsters stats -if you don't have the Monster Manual to hand. On the other hand the Monster Manual would make a perfect gift the players and non-players alike, it's not everyday you get the see so many unique descriptions of so many creatures from so many different stories in one book, also Gygax claims to have started work on the MM first.  It has been mooted on a few blogs and forums that it is possible to play many games with the player's guides alone, in this case maybe playing original AD&D is workable with just the Player's Handbook - after all, it contains all of the classes equipment, spells, classes and rules for combat.

The forewords are always quite interesting.  It took me years to realise that when Gygax refers to "Dungeons & Dragons", that he means the rules before the "Holmes" and the coloured box sets (B/X and BECMI et al), and that he clearly saw Advanced Dungeons & Dragons as an expansion (replacement) and continuation of those rules.  This may seem obvious, but the development of the boxed sets was a journey of D&D in a slightly different, parallel,  direction - debates are still had about this, and it's hard to summarise here.  Friends and I started with the purple and red Basic boxes - that was "Dungeons & Dragons" to us, we knew that they weren't just an introduction to AD&D, but it was pretty clear that Advanced D&D was written earlier, and some of the gaming conventions and assumptions didn't always tie up with Basic/Expert.  But these observations are down to subjective interpretation, the more you dig into the history of editions the more confusing it gets.  AD&D is a sort of culmination and zenith of the rules which survived for a significantly long time in that edition, which probably indicates it's success and popularity.  However these rules were rarely played in isolation, they were endlessly adjusted, amended and supplemented by articles in Dragon, White Dwarf and Imagine magazine. It was popular, it was informed.  Players knew the difference between a dungeon-crawl and character story led games. The appendices for converting AD&D to Gamma World and Boot Hill also tell you a lot about the broad mindedness of the author and editors (if not, at least an awareness of cross-franchise marketing ;) )

In many ways, by buying the reprints of AD&D (1st edition) its as far back as you can get to the original ideas and dice mechanics without going down the ebay-collector and retro-clone routesin that search for OD&D.

My only problem with the Premium editions (and I know I'm not alone here) is that they could have used the original art as opposed to these new tributes, but maybe they are actually trying to sell it as a complete game for a new generation, or maybe it's an art "rights" thing.  The new art pays loyal tribute to the originals, though.  By the time I was playing, the covers had been revised and replaced with the Jeff Easley art (with the exception of Fiend Folio).  I was playing in a group which was borrowing from the, then frighteningly modern, Unearthed Arcana (and later Oriental Adventures) which was the first serious reorganising of the rules before the much needed and overdue 2nd edition AD&D was released.

So buy em before they change their minds and bury the original AD&D forever! ;)

DMG

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02390000

PH

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02410000

MM

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02400000

AD&D Forever!!

(Just don't talk to me about Psionics ...)

Sky-Tyrant of Mars, Sell-Swords of Mars, Blood-Legacy of Mars (Adamant Ent - for Savage Worlds) and DriveThru 20%off March Code

Look, just stop gawping and concentrate
on the text. (Blood Legacy of Mars p16)

MARS!  Swords, guns, strange coloured tribal aliens,minimal clothing, alien tech, brutal classical empires.  Looks like we've all got the red-fever at the moment.  In my aging hard-copy collection the closest I've been to these settings is with West End Games' Space: 1889 - where Venus and Mars are in the process of being tamed by the jolly forces of European colonialism.  In Pulp Land, away from Verne and Wells, there's a more brutal free-for-all where those barbarian "skills" are used to liberate enslaved princesses - that's if a generation of Franzetta covers are to be taken literally.  Of course, I know that it's all just a little bit more sophisticated than that, and some of the women turn out to be pretty tough, but hey, from Gor to Carter there's been some images that have had some formative effects on my perverse mind.  The covers of three new adventures from Adamant Entertainment are definitely tributes to fine works of Mr F.  I've acquired some review copies of newly released ("March" is "Mars"-month -themed launch) Sell-Swords', Blood Legacy' and Sky-Tyrant of Mars, all designed for the Savage World system, but haven't quite taken the plunge by buying the core settings book (MARS: Savage World Edition).  As I type, the actual prices for the PDFs are miniscule ($2.50), which explains where they've been shooting up the charts on RPGDriveThru and RPGNow - that, and possibly a certain Disney film coming out...

Before looking at these I remembered mentioned in a few places, on forums and in some blogs, about the ease at which fantasy RPGs can be adapted to these and the more high-tech Flash Gordon style settings.  Older style systems, like OD&D and it's clones S&W Whitebox, EetS and others, fair especially well because all weapons perform the same damage (1d6 for example).  This means that choosing between a sword and a raygun is not an issue - so let the sci-fi swashbuckling commence!  I think the first thing I would adapt in a D&D style system is the availability of plate mail - perhaps the equivalent is some sort of alien gladiatorial armour.  The other armours would be changed aesthetically - to represent a lighter types, more as armour as pieces on flesh, chest plates, greaves etc.  If one simply replaces bows with guns and rifles but just about keeps the damage the same, there's almost no effect of the balance of the game. T&T5-7.5 is perfect for sci-fantasy since it deals with guns and different ages of fantasy worlds - including the future. With very little work game mechanics wise many games would adapt quickly to these settings.  At the low tech end the Dark Sun campaign world is pretty similar to pulp-sci-fantasy, certainly with a theme of desert-exotic it resembles Burroghs/Marvel-Carter Mars visually speaking. Maybe Glorantha RQ or HQ could be wedged into the Mars setting?

So when I'm looking at the new adventures from Adamant Entertainment, half of me is already adapting them to my favorite RPGs.  This could be considered as ironic since Savage Worlds clearly took the crown from GURPS many years as the multi-genre adaptable-system of choice - and here am I talking about shoe-horning other systems into square holes when Savage Worlds players will probably shrug and wonder why I'd want to make all that work for myself.  Did I mention that Adamant Entertainment also sell a d20 MARS RPG?  :)

MARS: Savage World Edition
-core setting and rules-
Sometimes optional!
http://bit.ly/MARSrulesSW

These three new releases are each very different from one another.  I'll come straight out with it, that my favourite is Sky-Tyrant of Mars by Umberto Pignatelli.  This is partly because, being the budget shopper I am, I can see that Sky-Tyrant requires only the Savage Worlds main rules to play (in my case that's the Explorer's Edition).  Its scenes rush forward into each other with the excitement of Star Wars or Indiana Jones.  Pre-generated characters also help greatly in implementing the setting, which is just about generic enough to not require the core settings book.  This adventure jumps from straight-forward encounter survival to being part of politics (but still with action).  Sky-Tyrant is for the more "cinematic" action favouring players.  The accessibility of the scenario means that it is also perfect for conversion to other systems (or maybe different settings).  Summary: Fast-action pure-pulp sci-fantasy, awesome. http://bit.ly/STofMARS

Blood Legacy and Sell Swords are definitely written for games masters who like a longer, broader campaign, but again both are very different.

In Blood Legacy of Mars the background reads like a Roman/Borgias/Hamlet paranoid love, daggers and intrigue story.  This paragraph from The Advice for GM sums up well how-to-use-this-book - making it very different from, say Sky-Tyrant:

"This adventure is organized differently from most Savage Worlds adventures. The plot is convoluted, and has several potential branches. Because of this, the main NPCs are given extensive writeups in the Dramatis Personae section in the last chapter, along with a list of their personal plots, plans, and goals. Locations which will be visited more than once during the course of the adventure are detailed in the last chapter as well, for convenience. Refer frequently to that section as you read through the adventure.  In addition, a relationship diagram has been provided, showing the main NPCs and their conflicting intentions, to help you
keep it all straight."

I really, really, really want to post a picture of that "relationship diagram" - it is truly a masterpiece of interconnected PC motivation and all that intrigue and double-crossing stuff (which makes my brain hurt - but in a good way) - but since it's such an integral part of the product it would be wrong to do so, I reckon.  If you straightened out a bowl of spaghetti and added square meatballs, that's what the diagram looks like.  Excellent.  The line-art art in this adventure is absolutely superb.  Definitely an adventure for the readers, talkers and thinkers, spiced up with sexual intrigue and disputes resolved in drunken viscous brawls.    Tell the players to keep notes on everyone they meet!  Suggested additional rules are the main MARS rulebook for the descriptions of Minor NPCs.  Also, if you're enjoying the setting and need equipment resources etc, it's probably near-compulsory to buy the MARS rulebook.  Summary: Compelling!  http://bit.ly/BLofMars

Very different in purpose and play is Sell Swords of Mars, and not for novices!  You may have to check your library first:

"This adventure requires both the Savage Worlds rule book and the MARS setting book in order to play. For best results, the GM should have access to the Savage Worlds ‘Showdown’ rules (available as a free download from the Pinnacle website) and the supplement WARRIORS OF MARS. In the event that you do not wish to run the larger encounters using the ‘Showdown’ rules, it is possible to stage them using the Mass Battle rules on page 120 of
the Explorer’s Edition of the Savage Worlds rule book."  (p2, Sell-Swords of Mars)

Got all of those?  Then you'll do just fine. :)

This adventure is truly epic in scale.  It's a war, with heroes, troops, vehicles (airships and alien tripods!), some political ramifications, glory and salvation. There's a useful flowchart in the back of the adventure, where the variety outcomes of the battles and decisions will still lead to the final showdown. I'm guessing that there's plenty of hours of play here, but again, definitely for veteran players who'd like to branch out into mass combat.  Summary: Exotic 40K with a decent plot. ;)   http://bit.ly/SSofMARS

Adamant Entertainment MARS product range on RPGDriveThu

http://bit.ly/AdamantMARS

Special offer news

There's 20% off cost at checkout at RPGDriveThru on the following products when this code is used:

WhenIrishDiceAreRollin

SAWS+ Character Sheet [Dire Giraffe Publishing]

SAWS+ Character Sheet for Pathfinder [Dire Giraffe Publishing]

HELLAS: Princes of the Universe [Khepera Publishing]

Bard's Tales [Raging Swan Press]

Iconic Characters [Raging Swan Press]

So What's That Shiny Thing Like, Anyway? [Raging Swan Press]

Caladon Falls [Savage Mojo]

Castle Builder Volume 1: Strongholds [Skirmisher Publishing]

The code implodes on April 10th, 2012.  Only the foolish will perish.

Planets of Peril / Temple of the Fool God / Faith&Demons Quick Start Guide

Raaarrgh!! BOOM!! Yaaargh!
http://bit.ly/PoPeril

I'm tempted to blame John Carter of Mars for this, but browsing through this game, one can tell that this has been a few years in the making, by someone of lot better read than I am.  Keith Vaugn's Planets of Peril appears to be a complete game in a refreshing campaign setting way brute force, mental will, alien technologies, survivalism, explorer skills and even sexuality, pave the way to riches and power.   Edgar Rice Burroughs's Martian and Venus stories are listed in the comprehensive list of books of inspiration, along with many authors who were smashing up and mashing genre long before "post-modernity" became the catch-all for the confused.  If you like "sci-fantasy" then Planets of Peril may just be your thing.

You've got to love any game which has a section called "Book 4 - Zardoon: Moon of Mysteries" followed by map entitled "The Island-Continent of Hoshovareka (The Refuge of Mankind)."

I'm especially fond of all-the-rules-you-need sets, in the cynical age of collector-range marketing.  The oil art has a charm of it's own.   In fact the whole publication feels very much like a much older game, perhaps from the 1970s.  The premise and setting does remind me a little of Empire of the Petal Throne, i.e. tribes of mankind displaced on an alien world, but the similarities end with the basic idea.  Planets of Peril owes a lot more to pulp fantasy, fringed with table-powered exotic social-political events and themes.  If you're looking for something different, if you're fond of older games and pulp sci-fantasy then it's definitely worth a look.

Planets of Peril $9.99 PDF on DriveThru  
http://bit.ly/PoPeril

(DriveThruRPG)

Temple of the Fool God
T&T Solo
http://bit.ly/FoolGod
(They're all a bit odd)

I want to give a very quick mention to a solo game that's making me giggling a bit this week.  Generally I have mixed feelings about the idea that Tunnels & Trolls games should often be light and humorous, but Stuart Lloyd provides a feasible background for such japes.  By taking on the patron god of fools (who's name in short form takes up most of a silly paragraph) you are forced to put part of your sensibilities aside.  Chaos truly reigns.  Like with many T&T solos, some sections are sub-games in their own right, where the player can choose to raise the stakes for higher gains - random treasure tables also provide a bet like dice rolling flutter.  Sections can be revisited and considerable ground can be covered and replayed - giving Temple of the Fool God a lasting game life.  The Monty Python-esque humour might be a little much for some, but for others it's a jolly evening in.  'Fool God is written for the T&T 7.5 edition, which is good, because dedicated solos for that edition are still thin on the ground, compared to mighty back catalogue of published and amateur adventures written for 5/5.5.  Fool God is about a dollar more than I would expect to pay for a PDF T&T solo (but I'm getting really spoilt these days, and $4.73 is a pittance really after OBS take their share etc.EDIT: Now reduced -see comments below the post- ), but it's still a packed read with 190 sections. All of the sections are properly hotlinked which means you get straight the right section when using an on-screen reader or a touch-tablet.  It is ideal for both new players and veterans (for 1st level characters - with equipment provided in the text).  Judging by his blogs and video reviews, Mr Lloyd is a state of the art expert when in comes to the studying and playing of gamebooks, so this is a real pleasure to see this knowledge come through in his writing. (Check out: Virtual Fantasies / Lloyd of Gamebooks and Lone Tiger Gamebook Reviews)
Challenging nonsense! ;)

Temple of the Fool God
http://bit.ly/FoolGod
(DriveThruRPG)

Appetite whetting time ...

http://bit.ly/FDquickstart

Mr. A.T. Huss of Mystical Throne Entertainment tells me that the launch of their new Savage Worlds, Dark Ages Fantasy Horror setting, Faith & Demons: The Rising, is immanent.  

For now all we have to chew gingerly on is this free primer quick-start download.  Yummy, yummy, crunchy post-Roman-decadence-chaotic-Dark-Ages-Cults-n-Swords-neoapocalyptic juiciness...


Faith & Demons: The Rising - Quick Start Guide (Free!)
http://bit.ly/FDquickstart
 (DriveThruRPG)




Enough for now.  Must sleep.  Have day-job which must be kept ...


Thanks for scrolling this far! :)