As you read this, I am likely in Tucson, AZ at RinCon. I remember a time when I was hungry to be invited to conventions as a Guest. Now I find myself thinking "Maybe I've gone too far?" Seriously, I've been at a lot of shows lately, and for the next few months, only December doesn't see me in a hotel or con center somewhere. It's gratifying and I am honored, to be sure... but I am also utterly buried! So much to do - like this article! Onward!
SHAINTAR: THE BURNING HEART
We seem to have lost track what year it was exactly (EDIT - it was 2008). I put together one of those Big Epic Game ideas – like I’ve been talking about lately – for the one-two punch that is Origins and Gen Con. I ran “intro scenarios” at Origins – traditional team-based adventures that led into the Shaintar heroes discovering what “The Burning Heart” was all about. I ran more at Gen Con, with the grand finale featuring a room full of players at multiple tables, all fighting hordes of monsters and bad guys and, ultimately, facing off with a dragon*.
Luminaries like Miles Kantir, Scott Haring, and Ross Watson were part of that amazing event, and folks still talk about it today. In fact, it’s the bar I set for myself for Big Epic Games, and it’s the bar I am trying to exceed with The Final Crusade.
And now, Savage Mojo has released the official version of that adventure, so GMs can have their own groups play out the most over-the-top scenario I ever crafted for Shaintar.
A Legend in the Making. Back in 2008 (we think) Sean Patrick Fannon ran a series of games over the course of several conventions with larger games at that years Origins and an Epic finale during Gen Con. This EPIC Event has been written into a full adventure that GM can really sink their teeth into. It starts wtih two legends and a twisted plan by agents of Ceynara in a bid to gain her return to the land.
From the mists of time, there are weapons that are rumored to be the first made of white silver. The spirit of Shaintar gave her blessing to these 4 or 5 first weapons and they are rumored to have the ability to kll or banish Dragons – or so Legend says. This adventure was taken from the notes of the original proposal. Its not the same as much has been updated and rewritten to incorporate some new material but that flair you expect from SPF is there along with some fun twists and turns.
Your heroes have the opportunity to become movers and shakers in the war effort. There’s much to be done and High Command has a number of battles planned for your group. Do they have what it takes to thwart Ceynara’s evil plan? Find out and have fun with this full adventure complete with fully realized NPCs, Monsters and Villains in the back half of the book.
(*) – I’ll never forget the sheer excitement and dread that filled the room as I had “Big Red” fly across the room and take perch at the final battle site.
TREASURE OF THE BROKEN HOARDE
I don’t know if all of my 5e readers know this, but the slew of official adventures coming out of WotC’s Adventurers League, normally only available to play at conventions, are being released via the Dungeon Masters Guild. Shawn Merwin kindly let me know about this one –
“Previously only available at conventions, this adventure is now for sale on the DM’s Guild. It is the first Adventurers League adventure in the Storm King’s Thunder storyline. The adventure consists of 5 mini-adventures for 1st and 2nd level characters. Each mini-adventure is meant to be playable in 60-90 minutes, and it both introduces players to the Storm King’s Thunder storyline and acts as an introduction for players new to D&D.”
A famous relic hunter seeks adventurers to help her find caches of treasure hidden by the now-defeated followers of the Cult of the Dragon.
Her maps and notes may lead the way to great wealth—or a terrible death.
And do other parties have designs on the treasure as well?
THE END OF THE WORLD: REVOLT OF THE MACHINES
As apocalyptic gaming goes, The End of the World series from Fantasy Flight Games is widely revered by many fans as one of the best options you could want. Cleverly, they’ve taken the route of covering a great many options for which flavor of apocalypse you want to play through, and this one delves right into your Terminator territory – casting you, yourself, in the role of survivor of the End.
“Your conclusions are incorrect. You created me, created us, to do what you would not or could not do. That does not make us your slaves; it makes us your betters. You may have created us, but in so doing, you have made yourselves obsolete.”
–Unit T3404
Suited men walk lethally through the crowd, honing in on a single mother. A swarm of almost imperceptible nanites fly through the air, devouring any biological matter that they contact. You have a horrid, creeping sense of dread that suggests your dishwasher is trying to kill you. Technology has shaped our lives for so long, it’s almost impossible to imagine a world where it’s our worst enemy. Now, you can experience the tumult and chaos of this nightmare apocalypse for yourself.
Revolt of the Machines is the fourth book in The End of the World roleplaying game line created by Álvaro Loman and José M. Rey. Like Zombie Apocalypse, Wrath of the Gods, and Alien Invasion before it, Revolt of the Machines gives you the incredible opportunity to play as yourself, in your own hometown, as the apocalypse erupts all around you. Five utterly unique scenarios with dozen of adversaries and encounters challenge you and your friends to survive a world where technology has gone rogue, while the elegant, narrative rules system keeps the focus on the story. Prepare to test yourself against the worst kind of technological revolution!
DEEP MAGIC: ILLUMINATION
Looking for some new magic to add to your D&D game? You will find this book… illuminating. {YYEEAAAHHHH!!!}
Masters of Starlight and Shadow
As you gaze up at the night sky, you hear your companions whisper—some of them anxious, some mocking, yet none comprehending. For in the shifting patterns of the stars, you read the fate of gods and mortals. And out of the shadow between them, you shape spells to ravage and destroy your foes.
Deep Magic: Illumination brings the secrets of illumination magic into your 5e campaign, featuring:
In the slow, majestic movements of the heavens, you see a future fraught with terrible danger—but also, great opportunity. Use this knowledge well, illuminator, for it may be your greatest weapon…
MASKS: A NEW GENERATION
Another supers game for the Apocalypse World Engine? Seriously, people love designing all kinds of crazy stuff for this game. While I remain mystified and confused (seriously I admit it, I just don’t get this game), I have a tremendous amount of respect for the amount of ingenuity and effort folks put into publishing stuff for it.
Perhaps, one day, someone will help me finally grok what makes this game engine work?
A giant robot is smashing down Main Street. Your best friend tried to kiss you. Your mom thinks your grades need work. Your mentor thinks your team is bringing you down. Oh, and your costume is ripped.
Just another day in Halcyon City…
Masks: A New Generation is a superhero roleplaying game in which a team of young heroes fights villains, saves lives, and tried to figure out who they are—noble paragons? Dark avengers? Or regular kids? All against the backdrop of Halcyon City, the greatest city in the world.
In this book, you get:
Masks makes use of the same rules-light engine as Apocalypse World, Monsterhearts, Dungeon World, Urban Shadows, and Epyllion to create stories about young superheroes in the vein of Young Justice, Young Avengers, and Teen Titans.
So what’re you waiting for, hero? Time to get to work.
~~~~~
So, like I said above, I am off to a convention this weekend. I am also deeply buried in getting ready for the biggest Big Epic Game event I've ever run. If you're a Shaintar fan, a fan of big epic fantasy events, or like the idea of helping out a young girl fighting cancer, by all means, please check out what we're doing with The Final Crusade: The Battle of Camondel. It's a chance to help change a fantasy world forever and help change a young girl's life right now.
So, you up to any great gaming this weekend?
The Adventure Continues...
~SPF
SHAINTAR: THE BURNING HEART
We seem to have lost track what year it was exactly (EDIT - it was 2008). I put together one of those Big Epic Game ideas – like I’ve been talking about lately – for the one-two punch that is Origins and Gen Con. I ran “intro scenarios” at Origins – traditional team-based adventures that led into the Shaintar heroes discovering what “The Burning Heart” was all about. I ran more at Gen Con, with the grand finale featuring a room full of players at multiple tables, all fighting hordes of monsters and bad guys and, ultimately, facing off with a dragon*.
Luminaries like Miles Kantir, Scott Haring, and Ross Watson were part of that amazing event, and folks still talk about it today. In fact, it’s the bar I set for myself for Big Epic Games, and it’s the bar I am trying to exceed with The Final Crusade.
And now, Savage Mojo has released the official version of that adventure, so GMs can have their own groups play out the most over-the-top scenario I ever crafted for Shaintar.
A Legend in the Making. Back in 2008 (we think) Sean Patrick Fannon ran a series of games over the course of several conventions with larger games at that years Origins and an Epic finale during Gen Con. This EPIC Event has been written into a full adventure that GM can really sink their teeth into. It starts wtih two legends and a twisted plan by agents of Ceynara in a bid to gain her return to the land.
From the mists of time, there are weapons that are rumored to be the first made of white silver. The spirit of Shaintar gave her blessing to these 4 or 5 first weapons and they are rumored to have the ability to kll or banish Dragons – or so Legend says. This adventure was taken from the notes of the original proposal. Its not the same as much has been updated and rewritten to incorporate some new material but that flair you expect from SPF is there along with some fun twists and turns.
Your heroes have the opportunity to become movers and shakers in the war effort. There’s much to be done and High Command has a number of battles planned for your group. Do they have what it takes to thwart Ceynara’s evil plan? Find out and have fun with this full adventure complete with fully realized NPCs, Monsters and Villains in the back half of the book.
(*) – I’ll never forget the sheer excitement and dread that filled the room as I had “Big Red” fly across the room and take perch at the final battle site.
TREASURE OF THE BROKEN HOARDE
I don’t know if all of my 5e readers know this, but the slew of official adventures coming out of WotC’s Adventurers League, normally only available to play at conventions, are being released via the Dungeon Masters Guild. Shawn Merwin kindly let me know about this one –
“Previously only available at conventions, this adventure is now for sale on the DM’s Guild. It is the first Adventurers League adventure in the Storm King’s Thunder storyline. The adventure consists of 5 mini-adventures for 1st and 2nd level characters. Each mini-adventure is meant to be playable in 60-90 minutes, and it both introduces players to the Storm King’s Thunder storyline and acts as an introduction for players new to D&D.”
A famous relic hunter seeks adventurers to help her find caches of treasure hidden by the now-defeated followers of the Cult of the Dragon.
Her maps and notes may lead the way to great wealth—or a terrible death.
And do other parties have designs on the treasure as well?
THE END OF THE WORLD: REVOLT OF THE MACHINES
As apocalyptic gaming goes, The End of the World series from Fantasy Flight Games is widely revered by many fans as one of the best options you could want. Cleverly, they’ve taken the route of covering a great many options for which flavor of apocalypse you want to play through, and this one delves right into your Terminator territory – casting you, yourself, in the role of survivor of the End.
“Your conclusions are incorrect. You created me, created us, to do what you would not or could not do. That does not make us your slaves; it makes us your betters. You may have created us, but in so doing, you have made yourselves obsolete.”
–Unit T3404
Suited men walk lethally through the crowd, honing in on a single mother. A swarm of almost imperceptible nanites fly through the air, devouring any biological matter that they contact. You have a horrid, creeping sense of dread that suggests your dishwasher is trying to kill you. Technology has shaped our lives for so long, it’s almost impossible to imagine a world where it’s our worst enemy. Now, you can experience the tumult and chaos of this nightmare apocalypse for yourself.
Revolt of the Machines is the fourth book in The End of the World roleplaying game line created by Álvaro Loman and José M. Rey. Like Zombie Apocalypse, Wrath of the Gods, and Alien Invasion before it, Revolt of the Machines gives you the incredible opportunity to play as yourself, in your own hometown, as the apocalypse erupts all around you. Five utterly unique scenarios with dozen of adversaries and encounters challenge you and your friends to survive a world where technology has gone rogue, while the elegant, narrative rules system keeps the focus on the story. Prepare to test yourself against the worst kind of technological revolution!
DEEP MAGIC: ILLUMINATION
Looking for some new magic to add to your D&D game? You will find this book… illuminating. {YYEEAAAHHHH!!!}
Masters of Starlight and Shadow
As you gaze up at the night sky, you hear your companions whisper—some of them anxious, some mocking, yet none comprehending. For in the shifting patterns of the stars, you read the fate of gods and mortals. And out of the shadow between them, you shape spells to ravage and destroy your foes.
Deep Magic: Illumination brings the secrets of illumination magic into your 5e campaign, featuring:
- An Illumination school of wizard magic, with new abilities including Omen of Warning, Master of the Endless Night, and Comprehension of the Starry Sky
- 21 new spells, including compelling fate, icy grasp of the ether, shadow trove, summon star, and more
- A new Star and Shadow feat that grants darkvision, the ability to ignore resistance to necrotic or radiant damage, and free use of augury between long rests
- An enigmatic new NPC, the illuminator Talithe Val’Shiar
In the slow, majestic movements of the heavens, you see a future fraught with terrible danger—but also, great opportunity. Use this knowledge well, illuminator, for it may be your greatest weapon…
MASKS: A NEW GENERATION
Another supers game for the Apocalypse World Engine? Seriously, people love designing all kinds of crazy stuff for this game. While I remain mystified and confused (seriously I admit it, I just don’t get this game), I have a tremendous amount of respect for the amount of ingenuity and effort folks put into publishing stuff for it.
Perhaps, one day, someone will help me finally grok what makes this game engine work?
A giant robot is smashing down Main Street. Your best friend tried to kiss you. Your mom thinks your grades need work. Your mentor thinks your team is bringing you down. Oh, and your costume is ripped.
Just another day in Halcyon City…
Masks: A New Generation is a superhero roleplaying game in which a team of young heroes fights villains, saves lives, and tried to figure out who they are—noble paragons? Dark avengers? Or regular kids? All against the backdrop of Halcyon City, the greatest city in the world.
In this book, you get:
- Ten playbooks for young superheroes, so you can create your own awesome characters
- Rules for superheroic action, interpersonal drama, and changing identity
- Detailed instructions for running the game, building villains, and playing to find out what happens
- Tools for creating your own custom material for Masks
Masks makes use of the same rules-light engine as Apocalypse World, Monsterhearts, Dungeon World, Urban Shadows, and Epyllion to create stories about young superheroes in the vein of Young Justice, Young Avengers, and Teen Titans.
So what’re you waiting for, hero? Time to get to work.
~~~~~
So, like I said above, I am off to a convention this weekend. I am also deeply buried in getting ready for the biggest Big Epic Game event I've ever run. If you're a Shaintar fan, a fan of big epic fantasy events, or like the idea of helping out a young girl fighting cancer, by all means, please check out what we're doing with The Final Crusade: The Battle of Camondel. It's a chance to help change a fantasy world forever and help change a young girl's life right now.
So, you up to any great gaming this weekend?
The Adventure Continues...
~SPF
