[Review] Twisted Genomes: Wasteland Mutations - 400+ New Mutations!

Many of the post-apocalyptic RPGs we love have it right there in the title: Mutant Crawl Classics, Mutant Future, Mutant: Year Zero, Mutant Chronicles, etc. We love our mutants and their mutations, but the scant tables and listings in these RPGs often don't allow for much variety (MCC has a little over 100 mutations in the core book - and a quarter of them are defects!) If you want to truly warp, twist, and mutate your games with a wide variety of new mutations, I suggest you check out Twisted Genomes: Wasteland Mutations by Dungeon Remixer.

Written by Derek Holland, who has produced a ton of content for post-apocalyptic games over the years, Twisted Genomes offers more than 400 new radioactivity-triggered, genome-twisting powers to bless (or curse) your Blasted Earth denizens with. The front of the book initially covers three different categories: physical, mental, and plant-based mutations. At the start of each chapter is a table that lists the mutations within and to allow the judge/player to randomly roll their mutations. And these are not your standard Mind Blast or Telekinesis abilities. For example, Fleshreader lets you read the thoughts of a being just by coming into contact with a piece of that being. Spider Palm lets you detach your hand and control it like a familiar. Body-warping abilities like Facial Shift and Flexible Skeleton are here, as well as truly bizarre powers like Barf Guts and Bubble Blower. Several of the mutations also have their own sub-tables allowing for even more variation.

Each mutation throughout the hefty tome (150+ pages) is nicely described with at least a full paragraph explaining how it is triggered and what its effect would be. A good amount of spot art throughout helps to illustrate several of the abilities. Rounding out the book are two appendixes. The first appendix contains alternate and expanded rules for several of the mutations, as well as advice on creating your own. And although Twisted Genomes was written for Gobinoid Games' Mutant Future, the second appendix contains conversion guidelines and notes on how to implement these new mutations in other RPGs, including -- yes -- Mutant Crawl Classics. 

I will likely get a lot of use out of Twisted Genomes, both as a resource for new PC/NPC mutations as well as for inspiration for some truly horrific mutant beasties in the future. ("The creature's spilled blood coagulates into small biting flies which begin to attack as well. Roll for new initiative.") This mutation resource book now has a place of honor next to my well-worn copy of The Metamorphica. Judge Sniderman says, "Check it out."

[Review] Aeon: Ancient Greece - Adventures In The Epic Greek Mythos

 "Sing, oh Goddess of The Good Old Days, when adventures were underground, arms and armor were bronze, and heroes were destined to die the glorious death of a warrior!"

Aeon: Ancient Greece is a series of DCC-compatible zines by Sharktopus Games that places your adventurers squarely in the middle of every Greek Mythos epic ever written. Toga-wearing heroes fight against fickle gods and mythological monsters in a Homeric epic! If you've thrilled to the "sword and sandal" genre of Clash of the Titans or Jason and the Argonauts, you'll want to delve into this series.

Thus far, there have been three issues of Aeon released (with a fourth now Kickstarting for a few more days). I love the way each zine slowly builds upon the genre adding more to the mythos (ha!) with each new issue.

Issue 1: The Labyrinth of Daedalus starts with character generation, letting you create your own Hercules, Theseus, or Jason. A full list of Grecian names, occupations, birth augurs, and Bronze Age equipment round out the first half. The second half throws your zero-level PCs right into the infamous Labyrinth, where only the most heroic for deeds allows for escape! A list of inspirational books and films rounds out the issue.

Issue 2: Deeper Into the Labyrinth expands upon the original adventure, but really shines when it introduces the Greek Gods (i.e., the Olympian Patrons) to your game. Six Olympians, each with their own Invoke table and special spells and taints await their faithful worshippers. And if you displease them, prepare to embark on an epic purification quest on their behalf. And a few of the Heroes of Greece await to bring your PCs on one of their epic quests! 

Issue 3: Monsters of Myth throws 36 creatures out of Greek mythology into the mix. Of course there are cyclops, harpies, and gorgons, but there are far, far more lurking in the shadows!

I really love the way each issue expands upon the DCC game system by introducing more aspects of with each volume. If you just wanted to introduce the Greek Pantheon into your games or expand your monstrous threats, you could pick up the issue that interests you. But if you wanted to run a full Greek epic that will be sung by Greek choruses in colosseums throughout the isles, you'll want to get them all!

The fourth volume of the series, "The Halls of Hades", is currently on Kickstarter for the next week and a half. This issue takes you into the Underworld of Hades itself. Cross the River Styx, fight Cerberus, and maybe - just maybe - bring someone back from The Land of the Dead!

I truly am a fan of Greek mythology, and this fun series of sourcebooks brings The Iliad and the Odyssey to your game table. Judge Sniderman says, "Check it out."

Country Meat-Grinder Classics 1 & 2 At DTRPG In Both PDF And Print

The newest offering for my "Country Meat-Grinder Classics" series is now available at Drive Through RPG in both PDF and print!

Country Meat-Grinder Classics is inspired by the grindhouse horror “hicksploitation” films of the 1970s and 1980s! With a few tweaks to genre details, these horrific backwoods adventures can be used in any number of ways in your own DCC RPG games: these townsfolk could easily be found nestled in DCC’s Shudder Mountains or possibly along one of the trails of Weird Frontiers. The denizens within wouldn’t even be out of place in the post-apocalyptic future of MCC’s Terra AD!

CMGC: The Hellson Horror

“In the past, the Hellsons were good charitable folk, feedin' the hungry and shelterin' the poor at their homestead. They say a witch done hexed 'em for it, and now nobody goes there anymores. They even say weird critters done been seen lurkin' in the woods near their farm. And now, folks're startin' to turn up missin'. It jest may be time to pay the Hellsons a visit..."

This is a 2nd-level adventure for 4-6 players and is $1.99 for PDF, $5.00 for print.

CMGC: "Wasted"

"Well, I swan...this season’s been a rough ‘un, what with alluva crops gone sour with that corn blight what’s been runnin’ wild through the county. But enough of our miseries! I cain’t wait to git to the Addersbrook fair and relax fer a spell! Get me some good eatin’ and listen to a tune or two. And if’n we’re lucky, maybe Junebug’ll be there with some of his pa’s hootch!"

This is a 1st-level adventure for 4-6 players and is $1.99 for PDF, $5.00 for print.

My Convention-bound Custom-made Trapper Keeper!

When I attend conventions to run games, I have found that a 3-ring binder is perfect for me to use at the table. A small pocket-purse up front carries my extra pencils, timer, dry-erase markers, etc. The cover pocket holds my pre-gens. And I place my adventure scripts into plastic sleeves so I can write on them during play to make note of current hit points, playtest notes, etc. With the exception of my dice bag, everything fits into this one binder behind the screen.

Several months ago, I made a suggestion that the only way this could be even more retro-gaming at the table was if it were a Trapper Keeper. You know, those hold-everything-and-then-some binders that were all the rage back in the 1980s (when Yours Truly was in school and discovering RPGs). Today while shopping, I passed through the Back To School section and found a WALL OF TRAPPER KEEPERS. I honestly thought they didn't make these anymore! So I scooped one up, brought it home, and converted it to my NEW convention-bound gaming binder!

The wall of Trapper Keepers! You can almost smell the 1980s, can't ya?

My current gaming binder on the left, and my new TK on the right, about to undergo some alterations!

I didn't want the TK front "flap" to cover up my favorite gaming artwork (Vallejo's Death Dealer), so to access the back cover area, I cut a flap on the inside back cover.

Turned the TK over, opened the flap to the edge, and slipped in the artwork from my gaming binder. (I could've printed a new one, but this printout has been with me since Gen Con 2008.)

And a strip of black duct tape hides the slit nicely.

For the front, I added some of my favorite unused stickers.

The TK comes with two of those slip-in "portfolios". I likely will use them for maps and pre-gens.

And my pocket-purse in the front with pencils and what-not.

Here's the final front.

Here's the final back.

RPG Overview Reviews My Deviant Database and DD 2.0 For Mutant Future

Long before Mutant Crawl Classics came around, I was playing Goblinoid Game's Mutant Future. This post-apocalyptic RPG is based on the Labyrinth Lord system, which is itself based on B/X OSR-type gaming. (You know, "The Original Fantasy Game".) Mutant Future is a great game and was the original inspiration for this blog, in fact.

I created several supplements for it back in the day, and Brandon Goeringer of RPG Overviews was kind enough to recently review my Deviant Databases. The two books in the series are collections of monsters, mutants, creatures, and NPCs that appeared on this blog over the years with artwork contributed by many artists in the OSR RPG community. I appreciated that Brandon liked these supplements enough to review them, and I have linked to his review below.

(Oh, and they can be easily converted to MCC RPG if you wish to use them in your own home games.)

My First MCC Adventure Now Out: When Manimals Attack!

I'm pleased, proud, and honored to be an official Mutant Crawl Classics adventure writer with the release of "When Manimals Attack!", my first MCC RPG adventure written for and released by the folks at Goodman Games. This 2nd-level adventure has an amazing cover by artist Ken Kelly (RIP) and is inspired by "The Island of Doctor Moreau" by H.G. Wells:

The rescue of a feral manimal child leads to an amazing discovery – she hails from the fabled lands of Zuu itself! But when manimal enforcers attack your village and retrieve the child, your Seeker team must locate the legendary city to rescue her. However, the savage bestial madman who rules there has designs to convert all Terrans into his submissive subjects. Only by leading a manimal revolution can the Seekers hope to stop him!

"When Manimals Attack!" is available in print and PDF at the Goodman Games Online Store or in PDF at Drive Through RPG. 

"Quill Noir: Forgotten Case Files" Supplement for Quill Noir RPG Now Available

I knocked on the chief inspector’s office door and walked in before the invite. He glanced up from a stack of paperwork, an annoyed grimace on his face.

“Just returning the Henderson case file,” I said, holding up the tattered Manila folder. The chief wordlessly hooked his thumb toward the row of file cabinets lining one wall and went back to his Sisyphean task. I crossed to the cabinets, opened drawer “G-H-I”, and wedged it back into position. While doing so, my eyes fell upon several red folders stuffed in the back. I wrestled to pull them out and, once freed, I laid them across the tops of the cabinets. There were 10 folders in all, labeled “Case 1” through “Case 10”.

“Hey chief? What are these?” I asked over my shoulder.

“Huh? Oh, those,” came the chief’s bored reply. “Those are cold case files. Unsolved.”

I scowled at the thought. I don’t like the idea of someone getting away with committing a crime. It makes my overly developed sense of justice itchy. “Mind if I take these and give ’em a gander?” I asked. “Maybe I can open up some new leads.”

Once again, the chief glanced up, shrugged, and hooked his thumb toward the door, inviting me to exit. I bundled up the red folders and took my leave…

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Quill Noir: Forgotten Case Files is a scenario supplement for use with Quill: A Letter-Writing Roleplaying Game for a Single Player and Quill Noir. To use this supplement, both the Quill rulebook and Quill Noir are necessary. Quill Noir: Forgotten Case Files takes place in the world of Quill Noir, a time reflecting 1930s pulp crime fiction novels and 1940s detective films. Quill Noir: Forgotten Case Files presents 10 new cases for would-be gumshoes and flatfoots to solve. You may find yourself investigating art fraud; rescuing someone from a burning building; testifying on the witness stand; or escaping from thugs who want to put you in a Chicago overcoat. 

Quill Noir: Forgotten Case Files is now available at Drive Through RPG. (A copy of Quill: A Letter-Writing Roleplaying Game for a Single Player and Quill Noir is required to play.)  Quill, Quill Noir, and Quill Noir: Forgotten Case Files are available as Pay What You Want releases, so try before you buy, if you prefer. Also, all have been released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.

[Review] The Spirit Coin - The Pocket Diviner, Decision Maker, And GM Tool

Quick: Come up with the name of a wood elf your PCs just encountered. OK, now come up with his motivation as to why he's in this desolate area. Can he be trusted? And how far away is the nearest inn from here?

At the table, the GM is tasked with coming up with a lot of answers on the fly. Sure, you could refer to tables you have on hand or rely on your own imagination (although "Steve the Drow" might raise eyebrows). Or you could summon The Spirits to answer these queries through the use of The Spirit Coin.

Created by Alex Kool and launched on Kickstarter, The Spirit Coin is like a portable Ouija Board. The two sides of the coin have four circles: the two outer circles contain the alphabet (consonants and vowels, respectively); the next contains the numbers 0-9 (odd/even); and the inner-most is YES/NO. The user takes the coin in hand and concentrates on the question. Turn the coin in your hand and randomly seek out the answers you need. For example, taking the questions from above (and I swear these are legit from The Coin):

Elf name? ETWIN - That sounds good, so "Etwin" it is.
Motivation? HRNWND - I see "Horn Wind", so I'll say he's on a quest to find The Horn of Winds. He's a sailor and he can use this item to propel his vessel.
Trustworthy? NO - I see our new friend is up to some mischief. Perhaps he mistakenly thinks the PCs possess the item, and he wishes to fight them for it?
Nearest inn? 2 miles from here. And Etwin will accompany his new friends (in hopes of prying The Horn from their hands!).

The Spirit Coin is solidly made of heavy metal and comes in two finishes, bronze and silver. I've taken mine and placed it in my dice bag for those moments when I need quick answers from The Spirits. (Usually at the game table, but you also never know when some otherworldly guidance may come in handy!) The Spirit Coin is now available on Etsy for $15 (with free shipping). I've found this to be very useful during writer's block or as a random prompt for all types of situations, so for GMs who could use a bit of spiritual guidance at the table, go grab one!

Quill Noir Available in French, And Watch It Played On Twitch (In French)

One of my favorite creations that I've written is Quill Noir, a supplement for Quill: A Letter-Writing Roleplaying Game for a Single Player that takes place in the world of 1930s pulp crime fiction novels and 1940s hardboiled detective films. It's become fairly popular, sells well, and I get a few compliments on it throughout the year. Imagine my delight when I was approached by writer and illustrator Angela Deschand earlier this year who asked for permission to translate it into French! I, of course, was happy to oblige. (She has also translated Quill: Shadow and Ink for the Quill system as well.) If you're interested in grabbing a copy of Quill Noir in French, it is available for free download at this link. (Or click on the cover to the left.)

Even more mind-blowing is that the French edition of Quill Noir was recently played live on Twitch by Samuel Ziterman! Sadly, I don't speak French, but as the author of the original supplement, I kinda could follow what scenarios he played as well as how he did. (Second game, pretty well. First game, not so much!) If you'd like to see a replay of his solo adventures into the world of gangsters and gun molls, check out this link here or click the screen capture below.

Both Quill and Quill Noir (and my other supplement Quill Quest: The Warlord's Downfall) are available as Pay What You Want releases, so try before you buy, if you prefer. Also, everything for Quill has been released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license, so feel free to create your own Quill supplement!

[Review] "Crit Or Myth" RPG Musical Comedy CD By Fugli

Although I don't typically review music CDs here at The Savage AfterWorld, I stumbled across a request on Facebook for folks to review an upcoming music CD focusing on old school role-playing gaming. Now, I'm a fan of filk and musical parodys, so I wanted to find out what this was all about. Sent away and in a few days, I got a preview copy of the CD illustrated above.

"Crit or Myth" is an upcoming music CD by "Fugli" (AKA Jeremy Fowler-Lindemulder) who typically performs in the Renaissance Faire community, but this new offering is a divergence from his normal Faire material, and focuses on his AD&D 1e days.

There's good stuff here for the OSR enthusiast with a variety of styles vary from medieval fantasy, to calypso, to rock, to folk parodies of  classic tunes. I enjoyed the variety of musical styles amongst the songs on this fully loaded CD (I'll explain more in a second). There are 12 songs that will have all role-players nodding along with the melodies as well as in agreement with the pithy situations mentioned in the melodious tales. Some of my favorites include...

"Epic Myth" - The odds are against you, and a TPK is imminent. The party is counting on you to pull their fat out of the fire with a Roll For The Ages. You throw the dice and, well, as the song refrain says, "I rolled a one..." A very funny song that I've come to call The Gamer's Lament. One of my favorites on the CD.

"Conga Line of Doom" - Those narrow dungeon corridors don't allow for much shoulder-to-shoulder combat, so line up for the slaughter! The problems with marching orders versus tight underground quarters feature in this calypso parody of pinch points and kill zones.

"Flavor Text" - Those descriptive paragraphs that paint a vivid picture in the minds of your players -- and how they then run berserk through the scene when you stop to take a breath. The creative lyrical prose of the DM versus the breathless impulsive actions of the PCs meet in this funny adventure summary.

Other songs on the CD include: "The Wild Roller" (How much dice you got? It's not enough.); "The Deck of Many Don'ts" (That deck you found in a locked chest? Leave it alone.); "Random Tables" (Almost everything you find and do will be eventually left to chance.); "Baba Yaga's Hut" (Chicken-footed house a-comin'!); "The Demon Prince" (The dance craze...from the Seven Hells!); "Parts is Parts" (You never know what monster part might come in handy later.); "The Hoard" (There's always one player who hoards EVERYTHING - encumbrance be damned.); "Alignment Blues" (Chaotic Evil is so much easier than Lawful Good, you know?); and "Eye of the Beholder" (Monsters, go figure.)

Remember when I said this was "fully loaded"? There are numerous other special features lurking within, such as video clips of live performances, web links to numerous sites of the band's other offerings, and -- most keen for the gamers out there -- "Striek Hollus: The Tomb of the Eighth Blue Wizard", an adventure written by Jeremy back in December 1980 for The Dungeoneer's Journal and is now re-released here! (Which WILL see table use in one of my upcoming home games!) There is a lot to like on this CD for the gamer as well as those who appreciate clever music parodys.

"Crit or Myth" will be released January 2020 through Amazon and fugli.bandcamp.com. You can follow the group at http://phi.povera.com/ or  https://www.facebook.com/fugli as well!

[Cryptworld] "Creepy Comic Conversion" Issue 5 Now Available

Once again Boils and Ghouls, it's time to crack open another terror tale from the 1940s-50s and see how your Cryptworld players manage to face their fears! In other words, a new issue of the Creepy Comic Conversion series for Cryptworld is now available!

I love horror comics, especially the long-forgotten ones that have entered the public domain. As a way to bring these amazing terror tales back to life, I’ve grabbed one at random and converted one of the stories as a mini-Cryptworld adventure. In this full-color 20-page zine, you first read the short comic story, then the back-half is that same tale now fleshed out and statted up for an evening’s gaming.

Presenting Issue 5 in the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series, this time featuring "The Subway Terror" from Mister Mystery Number 2 (1951):

In "The Subway Terror",  people have been vanishing from the manmade tunnels under the city for years: sewer workers, water and electrical linemen, and – more recently – subway patrons. Some theorize they’ve become lost in the maze-like depths. Others believe the legends of pets flushed long ago that grew to become giant alligators or snakes inhabiting the sewers. The truth is more disturbing…and dangerous. The players are tasked with investigating the disappearances with the assistance of the mysterious "Department G".

Issue 5 of the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series is now available in PDF at Drive Through RPG! (Full-color print copies will be available very soon there too!)

Three Personal MCC RPG Milestones Achieved This Week

It's no secret that Goodman Games' Mutant Crawl Classics is a new passion of mine. (Truth be told, ALL post-apocalyptic RPGs are a passion of mine, as the very genesis of this blog was as a personal Mutant Future repository. Scroll through the first 5 years of posts here as proof.) However, this week I achieved three personal gaming goals all revolving around MCC RPG and my place in Terra AD. And now, on with the countdown...

NUMBER THREE: 

"Dead in the Water" breaks the Top 10 Hottest DCC RPG on Drive Through RPG

Earlier today, I discovered that my first publicly released MCC RPG adventure "Dead In The Water" now sits at the number 7 position on Drive Through RPG's hottest titles for DCC RPG.I'm very pleased that it's been so well received by the community and I thank everyone who's picked up a copy and those who've helped me playtest it over the years at numerous conventions.

And speaking of conventions...

NUMBER TWO:

The first public sighting of an MCC RPG adventure I've written being run at a convention...and not by me

Clayton Williams, one of the overseers of this year's Gongfarmer's Almanac, is running my contribution to this year's GFA at U-Con in Michigan this weekend. My adventure, "The Desert Gardens", has the players searching for a long-lost oasis of botanical bounty somewhere in the Sharpsand Desert. Clayton asked me a while back if he could run this at a future con, and I of course said "Sure!" But until I read through this year's U-Con program guide, I had forgotten all about it. I hope it goes well for you, Clayton!

And speaking of running games in public...

NUMBER ONE:

Running my 13th Road Crew game at a new event

Next weekend is Genghis Con in Cleveland. The event is a small press/independent comic publishers convention and one I've been wanting to attend for years. For the second year there, Weird Realms game store is hosting a game room where folks can try out indy RPGs, new board games, and self-published materials. I've signed on to run a playtest game of my next MCC RPG adventure, "The Desk in Room 8-10". I love introducing new players to games I love, so I'm really looking forward to this event. And, by happenstance, this will be my 13th Road Crew game, which means I'm now qualified for this:

Yup, I've reached the pinnacle of the Road Crew mountain and have earned my Judge Badge. Incredibly pleased I've reached this milestone and -- honestly -- was unaware I'd met the requirements until I went to order swag for the event. Heck of a way to round out 2019. On to 2020!

[Review] Maquis Solo Board Game By Side Room Games

In your small French village during WWII, the Nazi occupiers walk the streets, policing the population and fighting the Resistance. But you will not stand for this oppression. You bravely fight for your country; hidden in the shadows, you strike; you are a member of the Maquis.

Maquis is a solo adventure board game by Side Room Games, makers of another fantastic solo game, Black Sonata. In Maquis, you have two weeks to complete two random missions from the Mission deck. You place your Resistance markers on the board representing your village, attempting to gather up supplies and weapons to complete your objectives. However, as you do so, the civilian police walk the streets, looking for dissidents. Sure, you can kill them, but then they are replaced by heavily-armed soldiers, increasing the challenge of the missions.

During setup, you place the morale marker next to the board. With each day, the morale of the town drops, and the military presence grows stronger, so you must complete your missions before it becomes impossible to do so. You then draw two mission cards and lay them at the top of the board, effectively adding two new "spaces" to the board. Each mission has different objectives, ranging for the simplistic "Officer's Mansion" (tag graffiti around the board to increase morale) to the difficult "Assassination" (kill all of the civilian police force). You place your pieces on the board with your objectives in mind. Need food? Stop by the Grocer's. Need a weapon? Take some money to the Fence and buy one. Need something in a hurry? Call in an airdrop at one of the Radio Towers, then race to the Field to pick it up. After each round, you must be able to move via a cleared path back to the Safe House. If your marker cannot do so, they are arrested and out of the game. (Fortunately, you can recruit more Resistance soldiers at the Cafe.)

Another interesting tactic is to use money to open new Safe Houses on the board, so if you are cut off, you can take refuge there. You can also use money to set up other resources on the board such as a Counterfeiter (print more money), Propagandist (increases morale), or Informant (provides intel). In fact, some missions require you to set up an additional resource as the mission cannot be completed with them (a Chemist's Lab is the only place you can get explosives, for example).

In the game shown here, my missions were "Officer's Mansion" (graffiti in three locations on the board, then tag the officer's mansion last) and "Aid the Spy" (bring weapons, money, and food to the hidden British operative). I tackled the graffiti first (shown by the yellow markers), but three of my operatives were arrested in the process. Fortunately I had recruited the cafe patrons to the cause and still had two to assist the spy. Sadly, while delivering the weapons, both recruits were out on the streets and were cut off from escaping back to the Safe House by two patrols that set up at the Grocers and Pont Leveque, ending the game.

This solo game is fantastically designed and incredibly replayable due to the 14 different missions you can undertake. The decisions you make each round directly affect future moves and actions, so the game never feels random or directionless. Thus far, I've played six games, but I haven't won yet, though I've come close. But that's life behind the lines as a member of the Maquis! Viva La Resistance!

[MCC RPG] "Dead In The Water" 0-Level Funnel Adventure Now Available

Over the years, I've led many post-apocalyptic mutants and freaks across The Rainbow Sea to The Island of Fire aboard Capt. Laird's seaweed-encrusted ship. Now, I hope many, many more make the voyage!

Dead In The Water is an adventure I've written and run for several years at many conventions and home-based games. However, it has never been committed to print for any specific RPG system...until now! With the approval of Goodman Games, Dead In The Water has become the newest adventure available for the Mutant Crawl Classics role-playing game of post-apocalyptic adventure and mayhem.

DEAD IN THE WATER

Mindless, water-logged abominations have been coming ashore, attacking fishing villages along the coast of The Rainbow Sea, then dragging their victims off to a watery doom. Your ragtag party of post-apocalyptic Seekers have been tasked with stopping the invasion. Perhaps the answer can be found on the legendary Island of Fire.

Dead In The Water is compatible with the Mutant Crawl Classics Role-Playing Game. Dead In The Water is a 0-level funnel for 12 to 16 starting characters. (Although it can easily be adjusted for 1st or 2nd level PCs.)

Dead In The Water is now available in PDF and print at Drive Through RPG, in print in Lulu, and it will soon be available at the Goodman Games webstore and at their booth at conventions and such.

I'd like to thank all of you who playtested it over the years and I hope you all had fun. And to those of you who have never ventured into the village of Narleen or faced The Drenched? Climb aboard and set sail for gonzo adventure!

[Cryptworld] "Creepy Comic Conversion" Issue 4 Now Available

Halloween is right around the corner, so it's time to curl up in your coffin and curdle your blood with a new comic from the Creepy Comic Conversion series for Cryptworld!

I love horror comics, especially the long-forgotten ones that have entered the public domain. As a way to bring these amazing terror tales back to life, I’ve grabbed one at random and converted one of the stories as a mini-Cryptworld adventure. In this full-color 22-page zine, you first read the short comic story, then the back-half is that same tale now fleshed out and statted up for an evening’s gaming.

Presenting Issue 4 in the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series, this time featuring "The Thing in the Pool" from Tales of Horror Number 2 (1952):

In "The Thing in the Pool", four people have suspiciously disappeared without a trace from a recently constructed house at 55 County Road 810 in Loomis, Connecticut. Sebastian Corday, the architect of the home; George and Ann Winsor, the new residents there; and Keeto Murillo, the groundskeeper of the residence, were last seen at the house a week ago. The players are tasked with investigating the grounds and determining the fate of the victims, but where could they have vanished to?

Issue 4 of the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series is now available in PDF at Drive Through RPG! (Full-color print copies will be available very soon there too!)

[Cryptworld] All "Creepy Comic Conversions" Now Available In Full Color Print

Greetings Boils and Ghouls! I wanted to let all of you Cryptworld Creeps know that the entire run of Creepy Comic Conversions for Cryptworld are now available in full-color print! That's right, you can get your hands on an actual hardcopy horror comic from the 1950s, then play that very adventure statted out for Pacesetter's Cryptworld horror RPG! Each issue is only $3.99 (or 99 cents if you want just the PDF).

Click the image below or this hyperlink to be taken to the full Creepy Cryptworld Catalog of Color Comic Carnage!

[Cryptworld] "Creepy Comic Conversion" Issue 3 Now Available

Throw open the crypt doors and race to your mailbox, for today marks the return of the Creepy Comic Conversion series for Cryptworld!

I love horror comics, especially the long-forgotten ones that have entered the public domain. As a way to bring these amazing terror tales back to life, I’ve grabbed one at random and converted one of the stories as a mini-Cryptworld adventure. In this full-color 24-page zine, you first read the short comic story, then the back-half is that same tale now fleshed out and statted up for an evening’s gaming.

So here is Issue 3 of the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series featuring "The Cave of Doom" from Chamber of Chills Number 10 (1952):

In "The Cave of Doom", the players have been invited to travel to the frozen wastes of Antarctica on a most exciting scientific expedition – the possible discovery of a long-forgotten tribe of prehistoric man. Upon arrival at Union Glacier Camp, they will assist anthropologists Paul Norden and John Harding as they traverse across the arctic wastes to investigate an unexplored cavern found at the base of Mount Vinson – the highest peak in Antarctica. What mysteries of the past lie within?

Issue 3 of the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series is now available in PDF at Drive Through RPG. I'll also have print copies available soon at DTRPG as well!

DIY DEAD Stamps for MCC/DCC RPGs

One of my favorite facets of the Dungeon Crawl Classics/Mutant Crawl Classics series of RPGs is the ever-popular Zero-level funnel. Each player starts with a handful of non-leveled, unskilled, common folk who are then presented with a situation far beyond their means to cope. When the adventure has ended, those citizens left standing progress to Level 1. This progress leaves a lot of bodies in its wake.

Lots...and LOTS of bodies.

Because of the meatgrinder-like atmosphere of this inaugural sojourn, many DCC/MCC judges are equipped with a self-inking DEAD stamp. It's almost ceremonial to commemorate the death of these disposable peons with a satisfying KA-CHUNK. I've wondered where these stamps were available and, with a bit of research, managed to get my hands on two -- one for DCC and one for MCC. Folks have asked me where I got 'em, so I'm passing that info along to you now!

I got mine from Vistaprint. They carry a wide variety of stamps -- especially self-inking ones. The one I ordered was the rectangular 1.5 x 3 inch version, which seems to be the "standard" amongst judges. My favorite color to use is red (BLOOOOOOD), although there are several others available if you like. Next up, the site asks you to upload the image you want. I was able to locate the stamp designs most preferred by judges (and thanks to the nameless designer who came up with them). I have placed them here on my blog for you to download.

Just grab the image, and upload it to the site. That's it! The stamp runs a bit over $25 (smaller ones cost less), but Vistaprint runs constant sales and promos, so you can get them for quite a bit off if you look. (I didn't pay more than $20 for either of mine.) That's it!

Now, next zero-level funnel you run, watch the players quake in fear as they see you bring out your Dead Stamp. They'll realize just how high the odds are and that you mean business!

Stampy-stampy-stampy-stamp-stamp-stamp...

[Review] Palm Island and Sprawlopolis - Two Micro-Card Games That Fit In The Palm Of Your Hand

During my lengthy hiatus from posting here at The Savage AfterWorld, I've been doing quite a bit of board gaming. Because I'm usually on my own here at Casa Sniderman, I've discovered solo board games. Typically these games are spread out all over your gaming table with many figures, cards, counters, pawns, dice, and a sundry of other bits and pieces to lose or knock onto the floor. However during a Kickstarter shopping spree of the past two years, I discovered two solo games that consist of no more than 18 cards....each. These two games literally fit in the palm of your hand. First we'll take a trip to Palm Island, followed shortly by a visit to the thriving metropolis of Sprawlopolis.

Palm Island by Portal Dragon tasks you to develop and expand the resources of your tiny Island Kingdom. You do this by amassing resources and spending them to “level up” your island's temples, housing, markets, etc. As your island begins to thrive, you have access to more resources to further expand your domain. Did I mention the game is played solely in the palm of your hand?

The 17-card deck is shuffled, then each card in the deck is dealt with one at a time. To store a resource (fish, logs, and stone) for future use, you turn it 90 degrees to expose it. If you amass enough stored resources, you can then spend them to develop your island's buildings and temples by straightening them back up, paying the cost to upgrade. As your island grows stronger, you have access to better and more abundant resources. When you've gone through the deck 8 times, the game ends. Each developed card is worth a certain point value depending on how far you managed to upgrade it. I've oversimplified how to play for this review, but there is an amazing amount of depth and gameplay here. Plus, if you meet certain goals in play, you can add additional cards to the game, such a "Feat" card which gives you special abilities and bonuses. There are Villagers who can offer their help to your island paradise. The game can be played head-to-head, both cooperatively and competitively! And watch out for disasters such as hurricanes and volcanoes that could destroy your kingdom! The portability of this game allows you to play it anywhere you have a free hand, because you don't need a playing surface at all! Very highly recommended!

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Sprawlopolis by Button Shy Games challenges you to build a thriving city made up of industrial, residential, commercial, and city park blocks, while meeting certain predetermined construction goals. And your city will come together with only the 18 cards in the deck!

To begin a game of Sprawlopolis, you shuffle the cards, then pull three at random. On the back of each card is a unique construction goal that applies only to this game. For example, one goal might be "Morning Commute" which gives you a two-point scoring bonus for any roads that pass through both a residential and commercial block. Or "Go Green" which gives you a point for every park block, but penalizes you three points for every industrial block! Each goal card also has a target score number -- adding the three goal numbers together gives you your final Target Score which must be reached or exceeded to win. To play, you use each card in order in the deck from top to bottom. You can play a new card next to or overlapping any card in play, as long as it's always lengthwise oriented and not played corner-to-corner. Your placement determines whether you can meet the scoring conditions on the construction goals. After the last card is placed, you score points per the beginning goals. You finally score one point per block in your largest area of each zone type. If you reached or beat your target score, you win! The Kickstarted version I got also has a few bonus cards, such as Points of Interest (city beautification!), Construction Zones (under development!), and Wrecktar (monster attack!).

Both of these games prove you don't need expansive boards and fiddly bits to have a great game. These 17-18-card decks have given me a lot of gameplay is a very small footprint. Sniderman says, "Check them out!"

It's Labyrinth Lord....With The Great Seasonal Taste Of Pumpkin Spice!

It's autumn, and the flavor of pumpkin spice can be found in nearly everything -- pumpkin spice donuts, pumpkin spice cookies and breads, Pumpkin Spice Labyrinth Lord, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spi…

Wait a minute, back up one.

A bit of backstory: Last year at this time, Goblinoid Games' Overlord Dan Proctor was railing against the explosion of pumpkin spice-infused products appearing everywhere overnight. As a goof, he suggested he should release Pumpkin Spice Labyrinth Lord to take advantage of the yearly fall trend. So he created a new pumpkin spice-themed cover for the classic RPG and tossed it up on Lulu as a joke.

And folks loved it. And they bought it. And, true to the season, once Halloween rolled by, the Pumpkin Spice-Flavored edition disappeared as well.

However, due to popular demand, the 2018 edition of Pumpkin-Spice Labyrinth Lord is now available!

The 2018 Pumpkin Spice Edition of Labyrinth Lord is only available in hardback at Lulu. And, once Halloween has come and gone, this edition will disappear as well. What started as a goof has (hopefully) become the start of a yearly tradition of spooky LL covers infused with pumpkin goodness!

(Oh, and if you'd also like an appropriately-themed Labyrinth Lord adventure, check out Scribe of Orcus Issue 1, which contains the adventure "The Pumpkin Lord of Shady Hollow"!)