Where Have All The Players Gone?

     I'm going to ask a pointed and loaded question here. What does a legacy (Gen X) forever GM in Omaha need to do to get his non-D&D/non-"D&D-like" game event(s) noticed, let alone get players? Before we get to the meat of the issue, let's dispense with the obvious questions and comments (in no specific order) so we can root out the trolls and clarify things.

• "Have you tried being a GM for hire?": No, and I refuse to be one. Even as a side-hustle, there's too much risk and the returns are too small. Additionally, I enjoy my hobby too much to make it a 9-5 grind. Next question.
• "Have you tried recruiting on [forum/game site/etc.]?": Yes, I have tried several sites and forums to no avail, even Facebook. Even when advertising for online gamers, I'm getting ignored. Additionally, online gaming presents a unique challenge as the only reliable method I've got on my laptop is text chat, something few want to resort to.
• "Have you tried [well-known local venue]?": Yes, I have tried several of our Friendly Local Game Stores (they know who they are, and I thank them for their support). Again, no difference. I've either been ghosted or just sat there waiting. The crickets didn't even bother showing up. None of this was the fault of shops or the shop owners.
• "What about [local con/charity group event/area con]?": I have, and again, I've been ignored, ghosted, or otherwise had less than my minimum number of players show up. I've even gone as far as asking convention leads what games are being requested if any? The common answer I've gotten is "Run what you want." That's all fine and well, but it doesn't seem to be worthwhile. It's even been suggested that between my slots that I float by the Organized Play area(s) with a sign advertising my events. I can't in good faith do that. The last thing I want is to get cornered and accused of being a nuisance or player poacher. Long story short, I'm no longer interested in attending conventions if I'm going to be wasting my money, efforts, and other resources.
• "Why don't you sit there and wait for your full event/slot time?": Because I value my time, even if others don't. If nobody shows up after an hour, what difference is waiting another 2-3 hours going to make? I have better things to do than sit there looking desperate.
• "Why don't you try being a player?": Honestly, I enjoy being a GM more than being a player. Don't ask me why, but it's just the way I roll. Of course, it may also be that it's something I need to work on. Time will tell.
• "Why do you even bother? You're old and this is a young person's hobby.": I enjoy these games because they help keep me young in heart and mind. Even Gary Gygax ran games and he was older than me when I got interested in gaming in the mid-80s. Yes, I understand, getting older means juggling more responsibilities and such. You're managing your kids' events and school, helping/caring for aging parents and grandparents, even caring for your aging self. That's life and older gamers aren't wrong in choosing/needing to do those things over rolling some dice. What's wrong is younger gamers acting as if they're gatekeepers while older gamers are the barbarians at the gate. Reach out and give us a chance - you might be surprised.
• "That's rich, coming from someone who asks that his players be 18+.": Not really. It's called being responsible and calling for accountability all around. I refuse to fall prey to the "Angry Parent" phenomenon; at the same time, I'm not a babysitter or living video game console. If your under 18 child wants to be a player in one of my games, they have to be 13+ and they need to have a gaming parent (or a parent interested in learning the hobby) at the table, rolling dice with us - not sitting off to the side reading a book or streaming Youtube on their phone. Players age 18+ will be held responsible for their own choices.
• "Why do you keep advertising old and broken games? Get with the program and play [D&D 5.x/popular "D&D-like"/FATE/etc.]?": Old doesn't necessarily mean broken and I like plenty of current games. The version of Traveller I'm looking to run is the current edition (Mongoose Publishing's Traveller 2e). I'm also a fan of Savage Worlds, Star Trek Adventures, The One Ring, and the current edition of Call of Cthulhu. As for older games I like, that's my preference. Some of the newer editions of games don't hit the same chord for me as the older editions or versions. That's why I prefer D6 Star Wars over Edge Studios' version. I even have hopes of running older settings in new systems, such as running Gamma World or Star Frontiers in Savage Worlds. In other instances, some companies' actions don't sit well with me. Hasbro/WotC's OGL rollback escapades, as well as their headlong rush to make D&D an online-only game, are not in the best interests of the hobby, in my opinion. As such, I'm not interested in feeding into their greed by buying into D&D 5.x.
• "Why do you hate D&D 5.x/"D&D-like"/Organized Play games and their players?": I don't hate the games or the players. If you like D&D 5e or one or more "D&D-like" games, that's great. Enjoy them. As I said before, Hasbro/WotC has not endeared itself to me with their hijinks. At the same time, I have to pick and choose what I purchase in hardcopy or PDF format as I don't have much room in my home or hard drives. Organized Play, despite its decline in quality (IMO) since its inception in the 1980s, is still a valuable tool for networking with other players and GMs. I stay away from it because as a GM, I don't like the administrative work. I tried running a Pathfinder Society event years ago and found the GM administrivia to be too overwhelming. That being said, if a D&D 5e or "D&D-like" player sat down at my table and asked to play an older edition of D&D (AD&D 1e, BECMI D&D, D&D 3.x, or even Pathfinder 1e), or a non-D&D game, I would welcome them.
• "If you're done 'throwing money' at the problem, why do you bother making and printing handouts? Why not just 'bare bones' it?": Paying a non-refundable registration fee for a convention is the biggest part of the money issue (aside from buying into D&D 5e). I enjoy making the handouts and other materials and sharing them with my fellow gamers. It keeps my creative mind sharp and it's beneficial to players. Printing those items isn't so much a waste when I actually have players who can make use of them.
• “I suppose you are/aren't even 'woke'.”: Despite what people on either side of the fence would have us believe, there are bad actors on both sides of the culture war. I choose to err on the side of inclusivity, caution, and compassion by being transparent and using a consent checklist and being up front about my own hang ups (see below). At the same time, I don't care for X-cards as I don't have time for immature “gotcha games” at my table. For me, communication up front is key in order to head off any problems. I realize that some concerns and fears can intensify or lessen over time and I'm willing to work with players to handle these issues, but there has to be communication. I'm also willing to be flexible when playing in private games, but again, communication is the key.

     So, with all that out of the way, here's what I have to offer at my next run at this:

•  Transparency and Communication: Players who I am just meeting for the first time will have the opportunity to communicate their concerns through a consent checklist. Even players with whom I've gamed for years can fill one out. No judgment, no flak. I also created a listing of my own standards and hang ups so we're all on common ground. (For the record, the checklist I use is a modified version of the House of Lolth consent list.)
• Handouts: Players new to Traveller will have access to information on my house rules as well as character generation, an overview of the Traveller universe. Other handouts include customized blank and illustrated character sheets.
• Rulings and Story Over Rules: I run by the “Rule of Cool” and the “Rule of Story.” If a rule in the books is going to hinder a good story, I'll make a call. At the same time, if a rule doesn't work for me or the group, I'll try to fine tune or change it so it works. For the record, gaming Youtuber Seth Skorkowsky has a ton of excellent house rules for Traveller 2e.

     All of the items described above, except for Seth Skorkowsky's house rules, can be viewed here. If you want copies, let me know and I'll send them to you.

     Now that I've shown my hand in all this, what do you do to attract players to your games? I have enough money to handle handouts and the occasional spare rulebook to help players out, but not promotional prizes; my days of being a demo agent are long over (I was a Bounty Hunter for Alderac Entertainment Group – the original publisher of Legend of the Five Rings – back in the early 2000s). What sites and forums do you frequent beyond Facebook to promote your games and group? Do you just go with text posts or actually use artwork and pictures to increase the impact/draw? While solo play is more of a thing now than when I was a kid, I still prefer gaming with a group, so any help would be welcome.

Yet Another Reboot Of Sorts...

 In an effort to try and find players in my online or within my geographic area, I'm rebooting my blog. I've done some work pulling older posts that I feel are no longer relevant and I've decided to reiterate/revise my write-up of my GMing style. Additionally, I'm working with a new APA, Ever & Anon which started after the closure of the long-running Alarums & Excursions APA. The reboot is far from over, however, so more changes may or may not occur. Once again, I'd like to thank lorc and Delapouite for the open use of their icons from game-icons.net under the Creative Commons 3.0 license.

 

The Style of My Games and What I Expect of Us All

Being a writer, I tend to favor story over rules and roleplaying over roll-playing. I tinker with the rules when necessary, whether it's in reverting to an older version of a rule or creating house rules to cover official rules that don't seem to fit. You'll note that my expectations for the group's behavior is mixed in as well here. I've found that such things do tend to intertwine.

The GM is in Charge: As the GM, my word and judgment are first and final, period. We're here to have fun, not pixel-bitch about rules and canon. If I make a mistake or someone has a question, please say so. I'll usually either make an on-the-spot correction and fix the mistake if possible, or make a temporary ruling and look into it after the game has concluded. We can then address it at the beginning of the next session, or I might address it to the group by email. The fastest way to annoy me to the point of blacklisting is to be a rules lawyer or canonista and bog down the game.

Rule Zero is in Effect: To steal a page from a previous version of Bruce Gulke's Mythosa website: "Every [game element] is subject to change or removal at the discretion of the GM. Even if a game element is initially permitted, if it is later deemed incompatible with the campaign, it will be modified or removed. Any characters (PC or NPC) that use that element may be required to adjust to the change (in other words, grandfathering is not guaranteed). [I] will attempt to keep this sort of thing to a minimum (if at all), but sometimes this may happen in the process of keeping the rules appropriate to the campaign setting."

Tinkering and House Rules: No game system is perfect. I have yet to find a game system that I haven't tinkered with or amended with house rules. In conjunction with Rule Zero, though I try to keep this to a minimum I will keep players in the loop with regard to changes from the rules as written.

Story First: I run RPGs in order to tell heroic stories. I'm not in this for Player-vs-Player deathmatches, evil campaigns, socio- or psychopathic PCs, lone wolves, edgelords, or murderhoboes. At the start of the game we will discuss character concepts and the kind of story you want to tell - but it must be a heroic story. While I'm happy to have the players steer the story, I'm not above taking a firm hand to keep them on the right track. Don't deliberately dead-end the story, slaughter NPCs left and right, or otherwise act like a bunch of psychopathic nutbags. 

Intraparty Conflict:  While I feel PvP activity can sidetrack a game, sometimes it is allowable - but only at dramatically appropriate times. These exceptions include:

• Certain games where betrayal is expected - e.g. Blade Runner, Cyberpunk 2020/Red, Shadowrun, Paranoia, etc.
• Campaign finales, particularly if old grudges come out with sudden - but inevitable - betrayal.
• PCs being tempted to betray the party by NPCs.
• A PC getting their "just desserts" for a past misdeed.

Drama: The stories in my games have highs and lows - victories and defeats; ambushes and escapes. Just because the characters are heroes doesn't mean the cavalry will be there to save them at the last minute; bad things do happen to good people occasionally. However, good redeems its own in that the characters have acted to better others' state of life. Conversely, evil eats its own. Though an evil overlord may rule for years in a game world, they will fall, either at the hands of the heroes, a vicious minion, or through self-destruction.

 

Fears and Traumas: If there are specific fears/phobias, traumas, preferences, etc. that you have, you can let me know privately (and even anonymously) before the game and we can address how to handle them. If you know another player's triggers and attempt to traumatize or otherwise upset them, you will be given one warning. Further offenses will result in ejection from the game, possibly the group (ejection from the group requires a unanimous vote by the group). 

 

Disturbing and Explicit Content: This aspect is dependent upon the players (see "Fears and Traumas", above) and so is not a constant. Because we are telling stories of heroes, the villains in some - but not all - of my games are equally horrible - cultists, traitors, murderers, slavers, outer gods, and things that go bump in the night - those are some of the things the PCs will face. I also don't shy away from some adult situations. A character's family and friends might incur tragedy at the hands of a villain or his minions. I'm not one to revel in gore or distressing situations. I will fade to black to indicate the gravitas of the situation. Character romance and intimacy is also a possibility in my games, but not to the point of gratuitous sex scenes. I don't believe such things necessarily make for good storytelling. As with disturbing content, I will fade to black in such situations.

 

No Harassment: As detailed in a previous blog entry, I will not tolerate players harassing their fellows or otherwise making them to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. This includes describing explicit and unsettling courses of action by a character or otherwise harassing a player through the game. Offenders will be given one chance to straighten up and fly right before being told - not asked - to leave.

 

No "Isms":  We're all equal here and we're here to have a good time. Lay your politics at the door. Anybody refusing to do so will be invited to leave. Such things are expected to (possibly) be confronted by your characters – the heroes – not the players.

Run!: A lot has been made in the past about game balance. Though I'm not one to kill characters wantonly, their players have to use their common sense and brains to stay alive. Still, if they wander into a cave and start poking a dragon with a ten-foot pole or wade into the midst of a charging horde of orcs, they'd best be prepared to run - and maybe have another character at the ready.

Heroism: Even though I've lived in this world for a good many years, I still possess a shred of idealism, believing that good overcomes evil. I despise evil campaigns. That being said, I expect my players to be playing the heroes. I'm not saying the PCs have to be saints walking on water; they could just as easily be antiheroes or rogues with hearts of gold, but when push comes to shove they should be willing and able do the right thing, even if it means walking a hard road at great cost.

Consequences: This aspect is connected to the concepts of "Story First" and "Drama". Characters have the agency of free will, and as such, all their actions (and failures to act) have consequences. Tracy Hickman wrote an excellent series of essays regarding morality in RPGs. To paraphrase part of his third essay, games without consequences cheat their players. We expect things to work a certain way in the real world - when you hit your thumb with a hammer, it hurts and you try not to do it again. In a fantasy world, if you commit a crime, there should be lawful repercussions - to have it any other way is to make the entire game a lie.

Character Death: I don't shy away from character death, but I'm not one to kill characters willy-nilly, however. I believe a character's death must serve a purpose in relation to the story - such as noble sacrifice - to demonstrate the serious nature of a situation, or the lethality of a dungeon, creature, or trap. If you are overly attached to your characters, you may want to avoid my table.

Mirror: Players have a part in building the world around their characters - it's only fair. I'll mirror back any ideas I think are interesting in the game. Feel free to fly by the seat of your pants and improvise on your character's background. However, keep in mind that I reserve the right to modify or completely veto any idea. You may say your character is the heir apparent to a great merchant house, but that doesn't make it so. However, I could always make it so, leaving you, the player, saddled with how best to handle the family business, its debts, its allies, and its enemies. So be careful what you wish for.

Tactics & Teamwork: I value teamwork and tactics in a game. I hate lone-wolf tactics and grandstanding. I reward teamwork and ingenuity in all situations, not just combat. Having a plan requires communication between players, and I encourage you, the players to do so in-character. The same goes for setting goals and objectives for your individual characters and the group as a whole.

Improvisation: No plan survives its first contact with the players. I welcome player ingenuity and the improvisation it requires and I try not to railroad the players (too much). I have seen players come up with some madcap ways of dealing with enemies and situations alike - whether it's locking a tractor beam onto an asteroid to use it as a flail to smash pursuing pirate fighters or using gold paint to defeat an eldritch creature vulnerable to gold. More often than not, I laugh my head off as the players make the wheels come off my villains' machinations...

Pre-generated Material & Maps: I'm only human and sometimes I run out of time, energy, or inspiration. As such, I do make use of pre-generated material, including characters, maps, and adventures. I will modify the material to work with the game I am running as necessary.

 

 

Life Is Hard, Play Short: This was the theory/philosophy behind my one successfully concluded campaign (“The Great (Old Ones in the) Outdoors” for Call of Cthulhu). If the group doesn't want a long campaign, I can try to keep it short with one adventure per session. 

Technology at the Table: While I understand that technology such as cell and smartphones, tablets, and laptops can be a boon to tabletop gaming, I also know they can be a distraction. I ask that laptops and tablets be used only to refer to PDFs of rulebooks or online SRDs. Phones should be set to vibrate or otherwise left alone. I have no problem with people answering necessary calls (family and work, ordering food, etc), but that's the limit.

 

Own A Rulebook (If Possible) and Know (At Least) The Basics: A big issue is groups relying on the GM to provide the rule (and source) book(s). Too many hands and too few books leads to worn out books and ill-prepared players (and GMs). Rulebooks aren't cheap and I don't loan mine out for players to take home. If you can't or don't want to spring for the hardcopy, I can set up an online library you can access during games. Knowing the basics keeps the game running relatively smoothly and applies not only to the rules, but also the setting.

No Cheating: Dice rolls will be made in the open. Individuals found to be cheating in dice rolls or in other forms (rules-lawyering, creative “book-keeping,” etc.) will be given two warnings. A third offense will result in ejection from the game. Repeat offenses following the first penalty phase may result in ejection from the group (unanimous vote by group required).

 

New Players and Kids As Players: Bringing new players into the group requires a unanimous vote by existing group members at the table, or, if away from the table, a unanimous group via chat or Discord. Dovetailing from the new players rule, kids (ages 12-18) are welcome in my games, but they need to have a gaming parent (or a parent interested in learning RPGs) playing as well. The GM and other players are not babysitters, nor is the GM a video game console. Bringing kids into the group also requires a unanimous vote.

 

Everybody Helps: If there a player is unfamiliar with the game or is a newcomer to the hobby as a whole, we need to be welcoming and helpful.

 

 

No Alcohol, No Illegal Drugs: This is pretty obvious since we'll be playing in a store or other area in the public eye. This rule is especially in force when playing with kids and/or recovering addicts at the table. [EXCEPTION: If I'm running a game in a player's home or a game cafe/venue where alcohol is served, I have no problems with alcohol (and only alcohol) at the table if everyone else is consenting as well.]

A Free Agent at PretzCon

     PretzCon 2022 is nigh and it's hopefully going to be my first in-person convention in three years since the world went to hell and we bunkered down. As a demo agent for Free League Publishing, I'm going to be running demos of The One Ring 2e and Vaesen. I'll be running "The Old Dwarf-Mines" and "Star of the Mist" for TOR 2e using pregens converted from the TOR 1e pregens. Below you'll see there are two versions for some of the pregens. Those pregens with two versions have one which was a translation from first to second edition and another which is rebuilt under the rules as written (RAW). The "translated" pregens are closer to their first edition versions as I ignored the rule that cultural virtues require a Wisdom score of 2+. The only pregen which differs significantly is Saewara of Stockhorn. Under the rules as written, a wanderer in first edition becomes a messenger in second. I felt that wasn't quite fitting for Saewara given her background and also the calling of captain was not represented in the pregens. I've removed the listing of old MERP and LOTR RPG pregens and will post the conversions when I have time.

 

The One Ring 1st Edition Pregens

• Lifstan, Son of Leiknir (Barding Treasure-Hunter)*
• Beran of the Mountains (Beorning Warden)
• Beli (Dwarf Treasure-Hunter)*
• Caranthir (Elf Scholar)
• Trotter (Hobbit Treasure-Hunter) - Converted and RAW*
  
• The Bride (Woodsmen Warden) - Converted and RAW
• Frida, Daughter of Finnulf (Lake-folk Messenger) - Converted and RAW
• Mona, Daughter of Ginar (Dwarf Warden)
• Barin Greycloak (Dwarf Messenger)*
• Aelfilda (Rohirrim Scholar) - Converted and RAW
  
• Dunhere (Rohirrim Scholar)
• Herubrand (Rohirrim Warden) - Converted and RAW
  
• Saewara of Starkhorn (Rohirrim Captain)
• Thuna (Rohirrim Warden) - Converted and RAW
• Wulf (Rohirrim Champion) - Converted and RAW
• Ralsora (Dunlending Treasure-Hunter) - Converted and RAW
• Fareth (Ranger of the North Warden)*
• Cirmacar (Elf Scholar) - Converted and RAW*

* - Suitable for use as a Free Agent demo character.

 

     For Vaesen, I'm doing something new. Before the demo event ("Dance of Dreams"), I'm going to present a "Session Zero" slot to educate players on the game and setting. I'll be offering pregens as well as character folios for players to use in creating their own characters if they so choose. Below are links to the character folios as well as the pregen characters. Anybody who owns the Vaesen rulebook will notice there are several additional folios beyond the archetypes presented in the core book. These are pulled from Cornish Vaesen, a Free League Workshop publication by JVC Parry. Below is also a link to a bug-fixed version of the form-fillable character sheet created by DreamsAmongStars on the Vaesen Reddit. Finally, the pregens are from two different creators, one of whom was deep_impact on the same Vaesen Reddit as DreamsAmongStars. The material below is suitable for use by Free Agents for their demos as they are RAW, no house rulings or homebrew.

 

Vaesen Pregenerated Characters

• Christina Skytte, Writer
• Dorotea Lind, Doctor
• Lyyli Tamminen, Occultist
• Niklas Skogge, Vagabond
• Otto von Kaiserling, Officer
• Reverend Nystrom, Priest 
• Patricia Bergqvist, Writer
•  Aron Lundstrom, Vagabond
• Henry Anderburg, Servant
• Olof Skoglund, Hunter
  

 

Corebook Archetype Folios

• Academic (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Doctor (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Hunter (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Occultist (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Officer (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Priest (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Private Detective (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Servant (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Vagabond (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Writer (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Form-fillable character sheet

Cornish Vaesen Archetype Folios

• Fisher (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Miner (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Smuggler (standard PDF and form-fillable)

 

On Adapting

Change is hard. Change is scary. But sometimes change is necessary for survival. That's something everybody is learning in this ongoing pandemic. One would think that gaming would be immune to this, but it's not. Groups normally accustomed to meeting in person are having to meet online in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our favorite gaming conventions and convention-related services have also felt the effects of all the uncertainty.

GenCon, GaryCon, PretzCon, Nuke-Con. All of these are institutions in our hobby, either locally or on a larger scale. While GenCon and GaryCon both canceled their physical events, they adapted quickly and went virtual. PretzCon, a smaller convention here in Omaha, sadly canceled for 2020 and now it looks like Nuke-Con is on equally uncertain footing.

I originally wasn't going to raise a fuss regarding the option of going virtual, but given possibility of Nuke-Con 2020's cancellation, I've decided to come out and say this: I would rather see a online Nuke-Con rather than no Nuke-Con at all this year.

While there are people who tout the efficacy of such things as social distancing, masks, gloves, and plastic shields, these measures aren't entirely foolproof. In a convention scene, they're pretty much counterproductive. Masks and gloves can tear or become otherwise contaminated; plastic shields are expensive. Also, I can't see myself sitting six feet away from my players, shouting over the din of an open convention hall through a mask. Living with multiple risk factors, the only way I'll truly feel safe in physically attending a convention is if a working COVID-19 vaccine is made readily available.

This might appear selfish to some people, but think about it. While we would all love to get together with our friends and love ones at Nuke-Con, we all have to act responsibly to prevent the spread of the virus. Meeting virtually is the only way around this, in my opinion. Yes, I know meeting online is not everyone's thing, but sacrifices have to be made in order to protect ourselves and others from this pandemic. I'd rather run my games online than not run them at all.

As such, I'm going to be registering my events – with the proviso that if Nuke-Con happens physically (with or without a virtual Nuke-Con), and a working vaccine is not available at the time, I will run my games on Roll20. I will be including info in my event descriptions for where players can go on Roll20 and Discord to find the games if I am not physically at the convention. I would only need communication from Nuke-Con as to who signed up for what game. No prize support, no con bucks, no physical support of any kind. Just communications from the event team regarding players.

So the long and short of it is this: if there's no vaccine, I won't be there physically at Nuke-Con; instead, I'll be more than happy to run my games online for anyone interested. If a vaccine is available, I'll take the jab and be there to run my games in person.

We're all in this together, folks, and I hope we're able to see each other for real in October.

Appendix B - Part 2 - It's Magic!

One of the neat things about Dragon Magazine has always been to see the creativity of its contributors, especially when it comes to magic and magic items. A lot - if not all - of the spells and items that appeared in Dragon prior to AD&D's second edition were codified into the Encyclopedia Magica books. While this tradition continued long into the latest editions of the game, I'm going to be cherry-picking a number of articles that have caught my eye over the years. Again, I've tried very hard to stay away from mechanic-heavy articles. In this installment, I've also tried to pick out articles that add variety and flavor to the game experience rather than just another way of dealing 1d6 damage or healing 1d4 hit points per casting.

Dragon #18 (August 1978)

"Magic: Governed By Laws of Theory" by Thomas A. McCloud: All good systems of magic in games or fiction are governed by laws. Here, Dungeon Master Thomas McCloud details the roots of magical laws and theories and shows how they can be incorporated into a logical and coherent system for Dungeons & Dragons (or other fantasy RPGs).

Dragon #37 (May 1980)

"From the City of Brass to Dead Orc Pass" by Ed Greenwood: Portals are another well-known ingredient of fantasy fiction, leading either to safety or peril. In this article, the master of the Forgotten Realms himself gives an overview of various gates in fantasy fiction and the tricks (and traps) behind them,

Dragon #69 (January 1983)

"Runes" by Taterczynski & Raupp: Runes are yet another trope of fantasy fiction, providing players and their characters a code to break or riddle to solve in the course of an adventure. This article details the history of runes, including their development and use in various European cultures. It should be noted that some of the historical, archaeological, and anthropological information in this article may be out of date, possibly even contradicted by modern theories and findings. Still, it should provide a foundation for a gamemaster looking to develop a system of arcane or ancient writing for their setting.

Dragon #73 (May 1983)

"Non-Violent Magic Items" by Pulsipher & Gettliffe: When standard magic items like wands, swords, and scrolls just won't do, this article can help. While a number of them seem to be more of an "industrial" type of magic, most of these work well for unique items you might find within a wizard's tower, dragon's hoard, or dwarven delve. Definitely an article worth having on hand.

Dragon #87 (July 1984)

"The Legacy of Hortus" by Jack Crane: Wizards do like to experiment with things - devices, spell creation, the essence of life... This article by Jack Crane details a number of horticultural creations left behind by the late wizard Hortus. A system-agnostic article, it can easily be used in any fantasy system.

Dragon #91 (November 1984)

"Treasure Trove" by various contributors: Another valuable article, this one details various magical items, some of dubious utility that a GM could easily inflict on reckless PCs.

Dragon #98 (June 1985)

"Creative Magic Items" by Ken Hughes: A good gamemaster doesn't rely strictly on the rulebook or supplements for magical treasure. Sometimes the best items are created by the GM. Ken Hughes provides a guide for GMs to make their own creations while maintaining some semblance of balance in their game world.

Dragon #99 (July 1985)

"Treasure Trove II: Seventeen New Treasures" by various contributors: Another handful of magical treasures that can aid or hinder PCs.

Dragon #123 (July 1987)

"The Mystic College" by James A. Yates: While heavily driven by AD&D rules, this article by James A. Yates provides a nice outline of what a fledgling mage could expect at a wizard's school.

Dragon #129 (January 1988)

"Arcane Lore: Magic of the Dwarven Priests" by Len Carpenter: Players who favor the Dwarven Runecaster playbook may want to take a look at this article, which covers dwarven runic magic. It includes a number of recommendations on tailoring various spells to fit the dwarven point of view.

Dragon #139 (November 1988)

"Where Wizards Meet" by John C. Bunnell: Dovetailing a little over a year from James A. Yates' "The Mystic College", this article provides an overview of the inner workings of a mages' guild. My only caveat on this article is that it seems to focus on a world where magic is much more common than what Beyond The Wall and other OSR campaigns might feature.

Dragon #140 (December 1988)

"The Savant" by Vince Garcia: Garcia presents a sage PC class (actually a subclass for the cleric or magic-user class) for first edition AD&D in this article. This is the article I referenced for the savant archetype "Another Exercise in Nostalgia".

"So Many Gods So Little Time" by Andrew C. Gronosky: This is one of a number of articles which have appeared in Dragon Magazine over the years on creating believable pantheons in RPGs. Gronosky discusses reasons for having monotheistic and pantheistic religions in a fantasy campaign as well as handling rival religions, the purposes of the faiths, and other ideas. While not focusing on AD&D mechanics, it is couched in the logic of the game.

"Fantasy Clerics and Clerical Fallacies" by Gregory Detwiler: Detwiler provides a look at making clerical healing a bit more realistic in fantasy campaigns, noting that high-level healing will not always be available to peasants, let alone heroes. Definitely worth a look if you want to run a low-magic campaign.

Dragon #149 (September 1989)

"Magic For Beginners" by  Gregory W. Detwiler: Detwiler strikes gold again in this article on low-level magic items. While most of these are more combat-oriented items, there are some very good ideas in here. My favorite is the silver-iron weapons which provide inherent magic against the fae without the common "+1" enchantment.

Dragon #163 (November 1990)

"Oops! Sorry!" by Donald Hoverson: Magical misfirings are one thing I look for in games. Hoverson provides a compact set of guidelines on how spells can go awry instead of just going "pfft." 

"Magic Gone Haywire" by Rich Stump: Stump dovetails from Hoverson's article here, detailing how magical items can malfunction.

Dragon #181 (May 1992)

"More Magic For Beginners" by Gregory W. Detwiler: Detwiler's sequel to "Magic For Beginners" in Dragon #149 brings us more low-level goodies. In this article there are a few more utilitarian items like low-weight equipment, the continual torch, and miniature or polymorphed gear.

Dragon #200 (December 1993)

"The Color of Magic" by Dan Joyce: "The Color of Magic" provides workable guidelines to making each mage's spells unique and noteworthy in BECMI D&D (as well as B/X, Holmes, and other editions) without incorporating a ton of metamagic feats and the like. An excellent article to consult for Beyond the Wall.

Dragon #229 (May 1996)

"Magic Doesn't Always Go Boom" by Christopher Byler: Byler confronts the issue of level-appropriate magical items in adventuring. While grounded in second edition AD&D rules, the article does have good guidelines on providing non-combat magical items and treasure for low and middle level groups.

A Necessary Evil

So as I'm contemplating what to write and post here, it comes to me that it might be a good idea to set some ground rules with regard to copyright, the Open Game License, and Open Game Content for my site. I need to practice what I preach and play nicely with others. Why? It's the right thing to do and I really don't want to get hit with a lawsuit, let alone a C&D (cease and desist) order.

What is about to follow is a wall of (mostly tiny) text that will be updated as content is posted. If you decide to read the whole thing in its entirety, you're either a lawyer or you've been in quarantine for so long you'll do anything to break the boredom. May God have mercy on your soul...

Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artworks, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.)

Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics on this blog are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. The names of trademarks or products mentioned belong to their respective copyright holders, any use here does not constitute a challenge to this ownership.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document, © 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Paizo Publishing, LLC.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary. © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 4. © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Ross Byers, Adam Daigle, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, James Jacobs, Matt James, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney- MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Tork Shaw, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5. © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Creighton Broadhurst, Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Joe Homes, James Jacobs, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, Thom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Wes Schneider, David Schwwartz, Mark Seifter, Mike SHel, James L. Sutter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 6. © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, James Jacobs, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Tim Nightengale, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Todd Stewart, Josh Vogt, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bonus Bestiary. © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn and F. Wesley Schneider.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game GameMastery Guide. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Cam Banks, Wolfgang Buar, Jason Bulmahn, Jim Butler, Eric Cagle, Graeme Davis, Adam Daigle, Joshua J. Frost, James Jacobs, Kenneth Hite, Steven Kenson, Robin Laws, Tito Leati, Rob McCreary, Hal Maclean, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, David Noonan, Richard Pett, Rich Redman, Sean K reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber Scorr, Doug Seacat, Mike Selinker, Lisa Stevens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, Penny Williams, Skip Williams, Teeuwynn Woodruff.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Class Guide © 2014, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Ross Byers, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Jason Bulmahn, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, Jonathan H. Keith, Will McCardell, Dale C. McCoy, Jr., Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K Reynolds, Tork Shaw, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Player's Guide. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Race Guide. © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Hal MacLean, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Monster Codex. © 2014, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Ross Byers, John Compton, Robert N. Emerson, Jonathan H. Keith, Dale C. McCoy, Jr., Mark Moreland, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Thomas M. Reid, Patrick Renie, Mark Seifter, Tork Shaw, Neil Spicer, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Ben Bruck, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, Jonathan Keith, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Ryan Macklin, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber Scott, Tork Shaw, Russ Taylor, and Ray Vallese.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game NPC Codex. © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Alex Greenshields, Rob McCreary, Mark Moreland, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Occult Adventures. © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Robert Brookes, Jason Bulmahn, Ross Byers, John Compton, Adam Daigle, Jim Groves, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Brandon Hodge, Ben McFarland, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Alex Riggs, Robert Schwalb, Mark Seifter, Russ Taylor, and Steve Townshend.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Pathfinder Unchained. © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Ross Byers, Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Robert Emerson, Tim Hitchcock, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Robert Schwalb, Mark Seifter, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Magic. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Campaign. © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Ryan Costello, Adam Daigle, Matt Goetz, Tim Hitchcock, James Jacobs, Ryan Macklin, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, Richard Pett, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Stephen Townshend.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Brian J. Cortijo, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Richard A. Hunt, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Equipment. © 2012 Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Ross Byers, Brian J. Cortijo, Ryan Costello, Mike Ferguson, Matt Goetz, Jim Groves, Tracy Hurley, Matt James, Jonathan H. Keith, Michael Kenway, Hal MacLean, Jason Nelson, Tork Shaw, Owen KC Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Intrigue. © 2016 Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Robert Brookes, Jason Bulmahn, Ross Byers, Robert N. Emerson, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Steven T. Helt, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Mikko Kallio, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Alexander Riggs, David N. Ross, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Wilderness. © 2017 Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Alexander Augunas, John Bennett, Robert Brookes, John Compton, Dan Dillon, Steven T. Helt, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Mikko Kallio, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Jeffery Swank, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Horror Adventures. © 2016 Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: John Bennett, Clinton J. Boomer, Logan Bonner, Robert Brookes, Jason Bulmahn, Ross Byers, Jim Groves, Steven Helt, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Brandon Hodge, Mikko Kallio, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Villain Codex. © 2016 Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Alexander Augunas, Logan Bonner, Paris Crenshaw, Dan Dillon, Crystal Frasier, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Eric Hindley, Mikko Kallio, Dale C. McCoy, Jr., Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, Mark Seifter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer 
Delving Deeper - Gnome, © 2009, Luke Fleeman, Brave Halfling Publishing. 
Dark Elf, © 2012 James M. Spahn, Barrel Rider Games. 
Fairy, © 2012 James M. Spahn, Barrel Rider Games.  
Feast Master, © 2012 James M. Spahn, Barrel Rider Games.  
Half-Elf, © 2012 James M. Spahn, Barrel Rider Games.  
Half-Orc, © 2012 James M. Spahn, Barrel Rider Games. Labyrinth Lord, © 2007-2009 Daniel Proctor, Goblinoid Games.  
Labyrinth Lord Monster Listing, © 2007 Daniel Proctor, Goblinoid Games.
The Hero's Journey: Fantasy Roleplaying, © 2016 James M. Spahn, Barrel Rider Games.
13th Age Archmage Engine, © 2013, Fire Opal Media. Author: Chad Dylan Long, based on material by Jonathan Tweet and Rob Heinsoo. Edited by Cal Moore and Simon Rogers.
13th Age, © 2013, Fire Opal Media. Authors: Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet. Edited by Cal Moore. Additional editing by Simon Rogers. The 13th Age RPG and supplements are published under exclusive license to Pelgrane Press. 
Shields Shall Be Splintered!, © 2008 Trollsmyth  
Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures, © 2012-2014, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - The Nobility, © 2012-2013, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings, © 2012-2013, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - The Village, © 2013, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - Further Afield, © 2015, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - The Elders, © 2015, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - Heroes Young and Old, © 2012-2016, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - The Wicked Dark, © 2013-2017, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - Beyond the Cave: An Unusual Playbook, © 2014, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - What Lies Beyond: The Chapman Bestiary, © 2014, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - Across The Veil, 2015, © Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - Hearths and Homes, © 2017, Flatland Games, llc.
Beyond the Wall - From Distant Lands, © 2019, Flatland Games, llc.  
Beyond the Wall - Tails and Paws: An Unusual Playbook, © 2019, Flatland Games, llc.
Ultimate Options: Story Feats. ©2014, Christina Stiles; Published by Rogue Genius Games. Authors: Rich Howard and Mike Welham. 
The Four Horsemen Present: Young Character Options © 2015, Rogue Genius Games. Author: BJ Hensley.
The Four Horsemen Present: Mature Character Options © 2016, Rogue Genius Games. Author: Steven T. Helt.
The Four Horsemen Present: Venerable Character Options © 2016, Rogue Genius Games. Author: Tim Hitchcock.The Four Horsemen Present: Comedic Character Options. © 2016, Rogue Genius Games. Author: Steven T. Helt.
The Four Horsemen Present: MORE Comedic Character Options. © 2017, Rogue Genius Games. Author: Steven T. Helt. 
Childhood Adventures © 2016 by Everyman Gaming, LLC. Authors: Alexander Augunas, BJ Hensley, Andrew Marlowe, Monica Marlowe, Matthew Morris.
Everyman Minis: Childhood Feats © 2016 by Everyman Gaming, LLC. Author: Margherita Tramontano
Everyman Minis: Family Options, © 2017, Everyman Gaming LLC.; Authors:Alexander Augunas.
The Adequate Commoner. Copyright 2015, Misfit Studios. Author J.M. Perkins.
You’re Gonna Die Screaming: An Optimization Guide to Pathfinder Commoners. Copyright 2014, Misfit Studios. Author J.M. Perkins.