Heading to the Manor

I have had these wonderful zines sitting around so I thought I would share some thoughts with you all.

The Manor is the digital zine from Tim Shorts over at Gothridge Manor.  I have always enjoyed Tim's blog. He began his blogging around the same time I really started blogging in earnest. Plus he is a fellow Tim and our sites both use a dark marble background, so I am inclined to like it.  He also posts some great stuff too so even better.

The Manor #1
The Manor #1 is the first of the quarterly (or so) issues of the fanzine from Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor.  The zine takes on the feel of old-school zines from the late 70s and early 80s. Though one could argue that the art and layout are better today.  The inaugural issue has a quick dungeon, a random table of various items found in a Troglodyte dung heap, a modern day encounter location (with some monsters), forest enocounters and an NPC and his wares.

The Manor captures the feel and the spirit of the old school zine quite well. The only thing that is missing really are ads for local gaming groups!
If you enjoy old-school style new  games or the original games they are based on.

All in all you get 24 pages of material.  Not a bad deal really.

The Manor #2
The Manor #2 keeps right on going with another 24 pages of material.   This one is setup to allow you to print it out and then fold it over and staple it for that "real zine feel", nice, but sometimes I prefer to read these things on my computer. (Edited to Add: There is a "regular" version as well).

In this issue there is Hugo's House of Healing. An encounter/resource.
An inn which would be great to use anywhere and a random table of 20 things you find under the cot.

The inn and Hugo's house (that is Hugo on the cover) take up most of this issue.
One other minor quibble, and this is more me than the zine itself. There is no OGL license.  Granted, it doesn't really NEED it (and I am not taking off for it's omission) but it would have made it play nicer with the likes of Basic Fantasy, OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord.

Still though. Top notch effort and results.

The Manor #3
The Manor #3 increases to 32 pages. Though it feels like there is more here than that.
The main article is the Mine of Rot and Disease, a great little old-school adventure.  Stats are 1980s era D&D, but easily converted to anything.
The art is fair, but perfect really for the feel of this issue.  The maps though are quite nice.

Another poetry slam.  It is what makes The Manor unique and I hope it does not go away.

Pog Nog the Goblin is a great little NPC/resource and one I am going to use in my next adventure with my kids.

There are some, self-admitted, dumb jokes. Again, perfect for a zine.
Ending with a new god of Monster Hunting.

If you remember the zines of the 80s (and some of the best ones I remember from the late 80s even) then this a very nice stroll down familiar, yet new, territory.  If you were not around then but enjoy oldschool games, then this is also a great find.

I have not picked up The Manor #4 yet, but here are some Tim's other books.

The Mini Manor: Faces Without Screams
The Mini Manor is a free adventure made specially for Swords & Wizardry appreciation day.  If you are familiar with the adventures found in the Manor zine.
The adventure is somewhat reminiscent of a horror movie setup but works well.

If you want a good free adventure then grab this.
If you want an idea on how the adventures in The Manor feel like, then grab this.

Note: this publication DOES include the OGL.

Knowledge Illuminates
Knowledge Illuminates is a 28 page (24 pages + 1 cover, 1 toc and 2 end pages) adventure for Swords & Wizardry complete, though it could be used with any OSR game.

This adventure is designed to be the start of a campaign or the first S&W adventure.
There is quite a lot of information here in case the players want to go off exploring on their own.  There is also a fairly detailed XP allocation chart in back, helpful for new GMs.

This adventure is also released under the Pay What You Want feature.  So if you have some spare change and need a good starting S&W adventure then this might be exactly what you are looking for.

30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 9: Favorite Character I Haven't Played

Day 9: Favorite Character I Haven't Played

That's easy.  My character Astra Kent, aka Justice.
I have stated her up in a number of systems but I have not had the chance to play her at all.  Ok ok. So she is technically not a D&D character.  But she is the one.
I have wanted to play my witch Larina under Pathfinder (closer to D&D) but I have not found a good group for that yet.

30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 8: Favorite Character I Have Played

Day 8: Favorite Character I Have Played

So many really. My favorite goes against my normal type. Nigel Blade aka Death Blade was a dual classed fighter/assassin in AD&D. I have played him in other games as well, notably Gama World and StarFrontiers.
I have also enjoyed playing my regular witch character Larina.

Zatannurday: Super-Team Family

I have featured Zatanna covers from the great Super Team Family blog in the past.  But recently they hit their 1000th post and it featured two of my favorites.  Zatanna and Harry Potter.

Love the cards.

Other Zatanna covers are just as great.

This one of Zee and Doctor Strange would make for a great story, or adventure!

I personally think she could take him.

And one of my favorites,

Zee always seem to have the upper hand in these.  As it should be!

Great job.  Looking forward to more.

30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 7: Favorite Edition

Day 7: Favorite Edition

How does one choose this?
I really have enjoyed all editions of D&D.  Basic was my first, Advanced my most played, 3rd the most flexible in terms of how to play...

I guess in the end I will say AD&D 1.  I played it the most, I have some great old and new memories of just having a blast.  And it is still one that ignites those fires of imagination in me.

Wikipedia is irritating me

Well.  Not Wikipedia, but some of the deletionists.
Now they want to delete the article on Tharizdun, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharizdun

So. Anyone know of some good 3rd party (not TSR or WotC) references?
I have a stack of magazines to go through, but I am running on fumes now.
Could use some help on Night Hag as well.

30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 6: Favorite Deity

Day 6: Favorite Deity

Tough one really.  As a kid I loved Hecate for obvious reasons. Her picture in the Deities & Demigods did nothing to dissuade me from my opinion either.

But it was Dragon #88 and Len Lakofka's Gods of the Suel Empire that introduced me to Wee Jas.
First I love that "Wee Jas" was a play on Ouija.  She was like Hecate, only more D&D.  I was a then (And still am to some degree) a fan of the Suel.  They nuked themselves out of existance, but very soon in our games "Suel" became our Shang-ri-la.
I liked Wee Jas because she was a witch goddess and a goddess of magic.  She was also a lawful goddess that hated demons and chaotic undead.  Since I also liked to play wizards and  Lawful Good clerics and paladins that hated undead and demons, she was the perfect intersection of all my interests.

Typically when I use her now she is a cross between Hecate and a little bit of Cardea.