Review: Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #2 and #3

+Mark Taormino is like some sort of mad genius.  I love his Maximum Mayhem Dungeons and each one "delivers the goods" in terms of hitting that nostalgia feel.  I reviewed his first offering, The Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen, a while back.   Today I want to look at the other two.

The Secret Machines of the Star Spawn

Let's play a game of what if.  What if the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks had been written in the 80s instead of the 70s?  What if there were influences of Star Wars, Buck Rogers, 50s sci-fi movies and just a little dash of 70s Blaxplotation?  You might get something like The Secret Machines of the Star Spawn, but it would not be as good as the module Mark Taormino wrote.
The module follows a similar flow of the other Maximum Mayhem Dungeons; something weird is happening, there are rumors, a long history of strangeness and a thin excuse to go adventuring.
What they PCs will uncover is...well I don't want to spoil it.  It's no shock that this adventure will feature a downed starship and some lasers.  But it doesn't end there.
In truth there is a lot to really, really like about this adventure.  In a different setting the monsters would be scary ass deadly and really, really awesome.  Also there is so many references to pop culture, especially sci-fi and 80s pop culture, that it would be pointless to address them all. The rock band KILL was one of my favorites.
Designed for OSRIC, I played bits and pieces of this using D&D5. Though it would work just as well with AD&D1, Castles & Crusades or any other OGL based clone game.
The one issue I have with it (and very minor)  is that players that didn't grow up in the 70s and 80s would not get all the jokes.   I ran Hanging Coffins for my kids and they loved it, but some of the jokes fell flat on them here. No surprise they have no context for them.  I thought they were hilarious to be honest.  Loved the Pinball Wizard!
If I were to run this again I would either merge it with a little bit of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and run a huge Star Spawn mega-adventure.  Or I'd run it as is with some disposable characters and guys the grew up in the 80s too.

Villains of the Undercity

Here is another what-if game.  What if the Keep on the Borderlands was destroyed and then humans came in and built a new keep on top of the ruins.  Let's also say the caves of Chaos have been cleared, but not all the monsters were killed.  Where did they go? What did they do?  Now invite the Slave Lords from the A series over.  You would get Villains of the Undercity!
This adventure is an ode and homage to the great dungeon crawls of the day.
While this adventure fits the gonzo style of the other Maximum Mayhem Dungeons this one can also be played straight.  Well...sorta.  There is a crazy Halfling Illusionist Assassin, but that is for the players to figure out.
With this one anyone that has ever been inside a classic dungeon will find something to love.  There are lots of deadly traps, monsters and puzzles to figure out. Of course plenty of treasure too.
This adventure is also the one that I can see fitting into a larger campaign, even with adventures from other publishers.  I was mentally placing it in Greyhawk or even Dolmvay.
Just really a lot of fun.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Monsters of Maximum Mayhem Dungeons

Evil genius +Mark Taormino is back with his fifth Kickstarter.  You might remember mark from The Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen and Maximum Mayhem Dungeon #2: Secret Machines of the Star Spawn.  Well, now he is back and bringing us all a new Monster book for Old-School style games.

Maximum Mayhem Dungeons: Monsters of Mayhem #1

I have come to expect some pretty great things from Mark in the past and I have not been disappointed.

This looks every bit as fun and at higher pledge levels you can get your own monsters made.

Mark always has a good spread of rewards and levels, so if yo are looking to finish up your collection of his adventures then this is a good Kickstarter to back.

This looks like a lot of fun.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/maximum-mayhem-dungeons-monsters-of-mayhem-1

Mail Call: Village on the Borderlands

 It's Tuesday, and that means time to see what the postman delivered to me. This week it is a Kickstarter delivery from Mark Taormino and Dark Wizard Games.

An introductory adventure to his Maximum Mayhem series of over-the-top AD&D 1st Ed/OSRIC adventures. This one is an homage to both the Village of Hommelt and the Keep on the Borderlands.

Mark knows how to write a fun adventure and he runs a great Kickstarter too. 

I have run many of his adventures over the years. Sometimes with AD&D, often with D&D 5e and once with Castles & Crusades. But what I really want to do is run them all as a campaign using the Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy rules. 

The adventures run from 1st to 14th level, just like OSE-Advanced and I think it would be a lot of fun.

And there is more on the way! Mark is going to bring us the 10th Anniversary of Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen for both 1st Ed and 5e! Really looking forward to it.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #8: Funhouse of the Puppet Jester

 Mad genius Mark Taormino is back with another Maximum Mayhem Dungeon!

Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #8: Funhouse of the Puppet Jester

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/maximum-mayhem-dungeons-8-funhouse-of-the-puppet-jester?ref=theotherside

What can I say here? Mark does great work, and these adventures are always fun.

Click, check it out and pledge!

Mark: I am going to need a bigger box for the adventures now!

Monstrous Monday: Review Monsters of Mayhem #1

This has been sitting on my desk forever begging me to review.  Today seems like a good day for it.

Review: Monsters of Mayhem #1
Monsters of Mayhem #1 is the latest monster tome from the Mad Wizard himself, Mark Taormino.  Mark has made a good name for himself in the Old School D&D scene producing some top rated gonzo adventures.  So it should only seem natural that he would turn his attention to making an equally gonzo and fun monster book.  Which is exactly what he did.
Monsters of Mayhem is 36 pages of monsters for old school games using OSRIC, coughAD&Dcough.
I am reviewing both the physical book and the PDF.
The book is black & white with color covers and "blue map" inside covers.  There are 48 monsters here, most illustrated.
The monsters themselves are all fun and all of them are very deadly, or at least they could be in the hands of a sadist DM.
Many have appeared in his adventures, but there are some new faces here as well.  Also many will invoke a feeling of nostalgia for anyone that played AD&D back int he 80s.  Some are fun, like "The Little Green Bastards" (aliens), some are nostalgic like the "Astral Drifter" and "Star Spawn", and others are just plain disgusting (in a great way) like the "Block of Hungry Flesh".  Others still are very deadly like the infamous "Vampire Lich".
Our cover girl is a Demonia Gigantica which was one of the very first monsters I used from this book.

The style reminds you of the old school, early 80s, style of books.  Save for how over the top everything is it could pass for an 80s book. Well, that and the production values are top-notch.

I high recommend this book.

There is a lot packed into 36 pages here.
For $10.00 you get a lot and will really spice up your game a little.

If you want to pick up a dead-tree version then check out Mark's newest Kickstarter, Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #6: Moving Maze of the Mad Master.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #7: Dread Swamp of the Banshee

Mark Taormino is living the dream.  He is working on producing his next module in the Maximum Mayhem Dungeons series, this time it's module #7: Dread Swamp of the Banshee.  This time the adventure is written by author Joe Pearce and it looks great!

Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #7: Dread Swamp of the Banshee

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/maximum-mayhem-dungeons-7-dread-swamp-of-the-banshee?ref=theotherside

It looks like the same sort of insanity that his other adventures feature.  Old-school maps and adventures and way over the top gonzo fun.

Plus you can pick up all his past adventures as well.  Combined they make a great campaign that your characters will never survive.

Check out the review I did for his first five adventure and monster book.

Mark know his Kickstarters.  He gets them done and he gets them out to you. I trust Mark.

Weekend Gaming: Halloween Gaming, Return of the Vampire Queen

It was our weekend of Halloween gaming.  It's was also my oldest son's birthday weekend.
He ran games all night long and while he slept today I ran  "Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen" again, this time for my younger son and his group.

It was 2014 when I first ran this adventure for my oldest son, so I wanted to run it again this year for my youngest since they would have been the same ages.  Very different experiences!

I picked up this adventure back when +Mark Taormino kickstarted a few years back and it is one of my favorites. It's just so much fun.  I also combine it a lot with the classic Palace of the Vampire Queen and the sequels made by Bill Barsh at Pacesetter.

Combined they really make for a great full palace, dungeons, and vampire pits.

Today's group got much further.  I made some changes based on previous runnings and some advice from Mark.

Sin, the Queen on her throne, Diabolica, and the Queen ready to attack

Combined with mins from three different companies this represents one of the things I love the best about this hobby; everyone coming together to provide something new and exciting.
Standing Lady Neeblack is the Vampire from Reaper Minis.

Ok and a bunch of tombstones and coffins from Michaels.

Oh and an old D&D action figure Umber Hulk to represent a giant Umber Hulk.  Yeah, they were scared about that.

They managed to survive long enough to face the Succubi Sin and Diabolica and finally Lady Neeblack the Vampire Queen herself.

I can't say enough good things about these adventures.  It would not be Halloween without them.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Jacob Blackmon style!

If you have been here for any period of time of bought any of my Pathfinder books then you will have seen the fantastic art of +Jacob Blackmon.

We are at a point where there are three Kickstarters out now featuring the art of Jacob and you can get in on all of them (if you hurry).

Super Powered Legends Sourcebook for M&M

A collection of supers for M&M that Jacob has been creating over the last couple of years. I have seen many of them and they are a lot of fun.  It features what I have come to think of his "cover girl" Pendragon.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1768030821/super-powered-legends-sourcebook-for-mandm

The Orcish Beefcake Calendar 2018

In what gets the prize as one of the silliest things I have seen is a pinup calendar of orcs.
Sure. Let's do it!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zombieorpheus/orcish-beefcake-calendar-2018

And ending in just a couple of hours is +Mark Taormino's

Dark Wizard Games: Double Mayhem Adventures

Jacob has had art in Mark's modules before, not sure if any will be in this one but I think so.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/dark-wizard-games-double-mayhem-adventures

There you go!

Jacob has a Pateron and can also be found on RPGNow with a TON of art and books you can buy.

He forever gets credit for really bringing my iconic witch Larina to life.

Not an easy task to draw a character that has been in my head for nearly 30 years and get her exactly right!

Kickstart Your Weekend: Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #4: Vault of the Dwarven King

Mad genius +Mark Taormino is at it again!

Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #4: Vault of the Dwarven King

The 4th dungeon in the Maximum Mayhem Dungeon series is being Kickstarted.

These modules really embody what I think is best about Kickstarter.  Mark uses these to get to a wide audience to pay for his art and production costs, which are always top notch, and get them out to everyone despite being a one-man operation.

This adventure is for levels 4 to 7 so it helps round of the "missing levels" from the other three modules.  It's almost like he was listing to me! ;)
(for the record I know he was not, this is a logical level spread and my input was not needed.)

In any case, back this. You know you want too.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Monsters and More!

More Kickstarters this week, and it is a good batch.

Dark Wizard Games: Fantasy Folder #1 - Dungeon Demon

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/dark-wizard-games-fantasy-folder-1-dungeon-demon?ref=theotherside

A new one from Dark Wizard Games and Mark Taormino.  Mark always runs a great Kickstarter and this one looks no different. 

This time he gives us some folders that remind me of the old St Regis folders.  This would be great for nearly any purpose for your games, and I hope these are the first of many more. Yeah, a cheap folder from Mead is cheaper but nowhere near as cool.

Monster Rangers RPG

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/steamcrow/monster-rangers-rpg?ref=theotherside

This one looks fun. From the Kickstarter:

Occult Pulp Adventure set in 1913!

Join the cause (CAWS) as a Monster Ranger who takes on Monsterologists who exploit monsters for their majik in a veiled world of weird; Obscuria.

'La Notte Eterna': Horror-Gothic Setting for 5E

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aliribelli/la-notte-eterna?ref=theotherside

This is a dark fantasy setting for 5e with new sub-classes and monsters and it looks rather cool.

There is a LOT here too. Three books, minis, DM's Screen, PDFs. Just a lot of stuff to be honest and it looks great.  There is even a quickstart to get a feel for the game. 

The setting is right up my alley too. Something I was doing with my own "Come Endless Darkness" campaign.  THIS could be a world where the heroes failed and darkness took over. It is worth me getting it just for that!

Lots of great stuff out there in this one. More than I can post now, but check it out. My enthusiasm for 5e might be at an all time low, but this looks like a ton of fun.

Monday Mail Call: Monsters of Mayhem #1

It's Monday of my Spring Break.  I am getting a lot done over here but wanted to take a break and show off what came in the mail today.

+Mark Taormino's Monsters of Mayhem #1

While I have had the PDF for a little bit now I was waiting on this print version to sing its praises.   First off if you loved his adventures then you will low this monster book.

36 pages and 48 new monsters, each one more deadly than the last and just tons of fun.

You won't find these monsters in the Fiend Folio or Monster Manuals, nor even in the pages of Dragon.  But you will find them all here.

I have been waiting for a good reason to use a Demonica Gigantica against my players now for a while.

According to the book this is a small one.

Now how about 5e conversion Mark?

Maximum Mayhem Dungeons. My collection is now complete!

Look what I got in the mail today!

+Mark Taormino's Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #2 and #3.

I now have the complete set.

In order of playability, lowest to the highest.

Just missing an adventure for 4th to 6th and then 12th to 14th.

Not sure what I will do with these.  Hanging Coffins was so much fun I just had to have these.  The 3D glasses and pictures are a nice and unexpected treat.

I also can't help but think that Mark and +Venger Satanis need to get together to make a really gonzo adventure.  Liberation of the Demonslayer would fit into all of this really nice and Star Spawn practically begs to be mixed with Alpha Blue.  Get on that one guys!

Kickstart Your Weekend: Maximum Mayhem #5: Palace of the Dragon's Princess

Maximum Mayhem #5: Palace of the Dragon's Princess

Mark Taormino is at it again and this time he has turned his offerings up.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/maximum-mayhem-5-palace-of-the-dragons-princess-bo

His fifth module, Palace of the Dragon's Princess, on the way and it has already seen all it's funding met.

I have talked a lot about Mark's adventures and books.

• A to Z of Adventure! V is for Vampire Adventures
• Maximum Mayhem Dungeons. My collection is now complete!
• Review: Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #2 and #3
• New in Print: Mail-call Edition
• Weekend Gaming: Halloween Gaming, Return of the Vampire Queen
• Monday Mail Call: Monsters of Mayhem #1

I expect this one to be just as good. It's an obvious nod to Palace of the Silver Princess.

But the best thing about this?  We are getting a BOX!

I am in for a box, module and dice.

I am so stoked for this.

While overtly for OSRIC/AD&D 1st Ed, I want to play an epic B/X game with all of these.  The Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen goes to level 14 and that is perfect.  Sure they are all deadly as hell, but that is part of the fun, right?

Kickstart Your Weekend: Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #6

Mark Taormino is a hell of a guy. For the last few years he has been out there on his own delivering some of the coolest, most Gonzo adventures the New Old School has seen. Crazy adventures with Vampire Queens, Dragon Princesses and a laser-rifle wielding heroine name Chocolate Thunder.
These are not Gary's modules...but I somehow think he would approve all the same.

So it was with much rejoicing (yay!) that he announced his sixth adventure module.

Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #6: Moving Maze of the Mad Master

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/maximum-mayhem-dungeons-6-moving-maze-of-the-mad-m?ref=theotherside

From the Kickstarter:

Hordes of metal monsters are ransacking small towns and villages and it's up to you to track down and put an end to the terror. The quest will take you to an ancient ruins where you must face off against the diabolical designs of the Mad Master and traverse the mind-bending dungeon of his grand maze. Devilish inventions, clockwork horrors and insidious traps will test your party's mettle as to the unravel the mysteries, solve the puzzles and escape from the Moving Maze of the Mad Master!

It wouldn’t be a Mayhem Adventure if it wasn’t packed with that little something extra. It’s not called “Moving Maze” for nothing! In addition to the regular cover and stationary blue map, there is a 11”x17” game board with two rotating maze wheel components. 

The game board is a 4/c, fully rendered version of the blue map with a maze that literally rotates in game; opening and closing doors, revealing wonders and horrors alike. Flip the wheels for a dynamic final encounter your players will never forget. The maze is designed to be engaging, complex and dangerous without being a confusing, infinite slog.

It looks insane, deadly and a lot of fun!
Exactly what I expect from Mark.

Lots of great add-ons and stretch goals in this too, so please check it out