Return to the Borderlands

[jdrakeh]

A couple of years ago, I was posting bits and pieces of this home-brewed BD&D campaign setting heavily inspired by Northern Crown, but real life soon got in the way and the project more or less died (as did the campaign).

That probably would have been the end of it, but while I was scouring an old HDD the other day, I found the Borderlands files (well, most of them, anyhow) and decided that since I have much more free time on my hands these days, I'd give the project another go.

In my .sig you can find links to some new material for the Borderlands (a new map and DM screen inserts for my system of choice*), as well as the original expanded spell compendium and bestiary (which I plan to format as PDFs).

Over the weekend, I'll try to get that done and see if I can find the old culture handbook, as well.

*Holmes BD&D. The DM screen inserts draw heavily from Meepo's Holmes Companion, The Arduin Grimoire, Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC, and my own house-rules.

 

[jdrakeh]

I updated the Borderlands map slightly this evening, changing a font to better suit the milieu. I plan to update it again once I can find a way to add rivers that look halfway decent (if you have any pointers, I'd be happy to hear them).

Also, since somebody asked a loooooooong time ago - the tower of Zenopus is represented by Grand Aerie, the keep on the Borderlands is represented by Fort Dalton (yes, those are the Caves of Chaos to the West), and the Caverns of Quasqueton (represented as ruins on the map) are located near the foot of Mt. Perilous.

Naturally, names and geography were changed a bit to avoid possible legal entanglements.

 

[jdrakeh]

Here is the most recent JPG of the Borderlands map (the link in my .sig leads to a zipped PDF download of the same map):

Additionally, I have just uploaded the revised Borderlands Bestiary in PDF format, now with a bit of artwork (again, see my .sig for links). The text is still 100% Open Game Content. I hope to have the Spell Companion finished this evening.

 

[Ace]

Thanks. I'll be checking out the work for possible use with Labyrinth Lord.

 

[jdrakeh]

Thanks. I'll be checking out the work for possible use with Labyrinth Lord.

Thanks for the interest! It should work fine with Labyrinth Lord, though the spells in the Spell Companion have a fair amount of Save or Die-ishness going on and have been otherwise tweaked to better reflect the expanded Holmes progression detailed on the DM screen inserts.

Also, it looks like the current Spell Companion (the RTF version) has a few errors that need sorting out, so I probably won't have the PDF up until tomorrow sometime after all.

I did find the culture book but, rather than release it on its own, I think I'll mash it into a brief gazetteer to accompany the map.

 

[jdrakeh]

Updating the Spell Companion is taking a little more time than I anticipated, but it should be done soon.

 

[jdrakeh]

And the revised Borderlands Spell Companion is now complete! You can download it in PDF format via the link in my .sig below. Next up: The Borderlands Martial Prowess Manual (new rules for dynamic combat that make your basic Fighting Man a little more interesting).

 

[jdrakeh]

Sorry for the delay (I've been battling a bit of sickness). I've decided to drop the Martial Prowess Manual as it's not very 'old school' and instead jump right into the gazetteer.

 

[jdrakeh]

I've corrected a few mistakes in the Spell Companion.

 

[jdrakeh]

Work has begun in earnest on the Borderlands Gazetteer, after receiving permission from 0One Games to reference their maps by name in the body of said work. I should have a rough draft up soon.