Dungeon Master's Little Black Book Project is Live!

 I've just launched my Dungeon Master's Little Black Book project on Kickstarter. It's off to a flying start and funded in the first few minutes.

The aim of this project is to fund print runs of two versions of The Dungeon Master's Little Black Book. The first version will be crammed full of random tables, ideas and maps that can be used by a DM during a game without any preparation. The second version will be a blank version of the Little Black Book that a DM can add their own content to.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1730454032/dungeon-masters-little-black-book

FOSSIL Booklets and new Mapping Pads

Hot on the heels of Black Pudding Issue 4, which landed last week. I now have the print copies of the FOSSIL B/X Character Generation booklets. They cost £1 each, or you can buy 3 for £2, or 10 for £5. This makes them cheap enough to buy in bulk and give one to each player to keep.

You may find them here:
https://squarehex.myshopify.com/search?q=fossil

Also new to the site are 3 new DL sized (210mm x 99mm) paper pads:

Double Grid Pad
https://squarehex.myshopify.com/collections/square-hex-pads/products/dl-double-grid-pad

Dot Grid Pad
https://squarehex.myshopify.com/collections/square-hex-pads/products/dl-dot-grid-pad

Tri List Pad
https://squarehex.myshopify.com/collections/square-hex-pads/products/dl-tri-list-pad

FOSSIL B/X Character Generation Booklet

FOSSIL (Fantasy Old School System Index Lite) is a bare bones OSR system that is roughly compatible with B/X rules and retroclones (the rules have parity with Labyrinth Lord). This first booklet covers character generation and advancement.

The booklet is just 12 small pages (landscape DL 210x105mm) yet includes everything needed to generate and equip a B/X character. It also includes advancement rules to tenth level, combat and damage tables, full descriptions for first level cleric and magic-user spells, and a blank character sheet.

There are two versions of the PDF. The first one gives clerics a spell at first level. Whereas the second one gives clerics their first spell at second level and follows strict B/X spell progression for clerics thereafter. Otherwise they are identical.

Professionally printed copies of this booklet will be available from Squarehex.co.uk in April 2018. I hope to include a sticker with each printed copy that will allow the alternate cleric spell advancement to added as an option. My aim with the printed edition is to make it very low cost so that a GM can give out a copy to each player at the table for minimum outlay.

Work on the second booklet with Game Mastering rules is underway. Following that there will be a Spells booklet and possibly a Monsters booklet. In addition there is also my B/X Monster Reference Index which is already available in print and PDF.

The PDF cost $1 from RPGNOW.com: http://www.rpgnow.com/product/237131/FOSSIL-B-X-Character-Generation

More B/X Booklet Pages

Here's two more pages from my B/X Character Generation booklet. I should have Magic-User and Thief pages done by tomorrow. The blank spaces will get filled with some artwork, but I'll leave that until I've finished all the layout in case things move around a bit.

Black Pudding Zine Print Edition

You may already have seen James V West's stunning new zine Black Pudding. If not head over to RPGNow.com and grab the PWYW PDF. It is quite simply the best zine ever.

A few of days ago I tentatively asked James about his plans for a printed edition, and mentioned that I'd be interested in getting involved. I'm delighted to report that he's agreed to let me print and distribute Black Pudding. The A5 printed edition will be litho-printed on paper of the same weight and finish as The Black Hack and Oubliette Issue 9. I'm expecting them to be delivered just before Christmas. Cover price will be £3.00 and they'll be a wholesale option for orders of 10+ copies. At launch there will be shipping options for the UK/EU/Rest of the World.

Sneaky preview

Bugbear Shaman

We're in that last phase of preparing Oubliette Issue 8, and the team is bleary eyed and emotional.  I keep smacking Pete on the back of his head shouting "Man up, soldier!  Only a few more pages to go!"

Actually, nothing of the sort happens.  The last part of Oubliette is rather lonely.  No more gags, no more flinging around anarchic ideas, just heads down, shoulder to the wheel and any other cliche for hard graft that comes to mind.  Our proof reader extra-ordinaire has been infected with primary school coldy germs(care of his beloved granddaughter), but continues to make his eyes bleed, magnificently combing the pages for hideousness whilst honking loudly into a large hankie.

Goblin Quest

Yesterday,  I finished the last ever episode of Goblin Quest.  I can't say I'm sorry.  It's probably some of the most detailed cartooning work I've done, and no doubt I'll look back on it and make some fatuous comments of how "I did that", but right now, I'm just glad it's over.

I love this mag, but the last part of it is like the end of a marathon.  Except, that wall doesn't just appear, it continues to fall on me repeatedly, battering my enthusiasm.

Alright, enough whinging Marg.  Time to man up, soldier!  Only a few more pages to go! 

Somebody, please smack the back of my head.  Ouch.  Thanks Pete.