Savage Mondays – August 30, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/08/30 – 08:22 -
It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer, if you have questions or just want to talk to us in real time just drop by the #savageworlds IRC Channel. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Update: Community News Added.
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Space 1889: Red Sands Preorder Bundle | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
This week Pinnacle announced that pre-orders for Space 1889: Red Sands and their Red Sands preorder bundle are now available. Stop by Pinnacle’s store and check it out.
Since Thomas Edison first explored the worlds with the help of his marvelous ether propeller, the British Empire has grown to include the red plains and stately canals of Mars, the steaming, dinosaur-infested swamps of Venus, and even a remote outpost in the twilight zone of Mercury. In 1889, the sun truly never sets on the British Empire! But deep inside the Empire, a core of revolt festers and grows. Martian cults cry out for the Earthling’s expulsion. Britain teeters at the edge of war with the Oenotrian Empire. In the midst of seething turmoil, the being known only as Kronos siezes the technology of a forgotten race to threaten the very future of mankind!
Savage Licensees
Daring Tales of Chivalry Adventure Compendium | Triple Ace Games
Out this week TAG announces five new adventures for their Daring Tales of Chivalry line all brought together in one comprehensive book! Be daring in these new adventures
- A Knight’s Tales
- Death at the Joust
- The Danbury Curse
- Castle Fairstone
- The Madness of Sir Stephen
Hellfrost Encounters #1 |Triple Ace Games
Finally after months of teasing TAG released the Hellfrost Encounters Book #1. Following up on their Preview Copy the book is finally released!
Designed with the busy GM in mind, this book contains 50 detailed encounters covering a variety of situations and locales.
Whether you’re after a random encounter that’s more than just a standup fight on featureless terrain, an exciting mini-adventure on the spur of the moment, something to break up the party’s travels, or a starting scene for an adventure of your own devising, this book has something for you.
To help speed up play, every encounter is designed to fit one or two pages containing all of its pertinent information, so there’s no need to flip between pages. Lavishly illustrated with maps, everything you need to play these encounters is within the covers of this fantastic book!
Although designed for the Hellfrost setting, each encounter contains the stats required for play, so it can be used in any Savage Worlds fantasy setting!
Hellfrost Region Guide #20: The Mistlands | Triple Ace Games
Out this week is #20 in the collectors series, The Mistlands brings even more guides to the Hellfrost setting.
Once famed for its prosperous silver mines, the Mistlands are now a haunted realm of perpetual mist and endless ruins. A realm of ghosts and memories, few adventurers are brave enough to explore the rugged hills, for many who do are never seen again.
This supplement explores the history of the former realm of Silverdale, and presents rules for adventuring in the mist-wreathed lands, as well as over half a dozen new locales. The cult of Niht is explored in greater detail, along with the minor gods of sleep and concealment. Finally there are three new monsters, including the much-feared shadow dragon.
Sundered Skies Companion |Triple Ace Games
Feeling a bit left out after all the releases forHellfrost? Thinking that your Sundered Skies game needs a pick-me up? Well your in luck! The crack team of writers at Triple Ace Games have released the Sundered Skies Companion.
The Sundered Skies Companion expands upon and compliments the information found in the Sundered Skies core book. Designed to be used by players and Gamemaster’s the Sundered Skies Companion is bursting with gaming goodness, including;
- A host of new Edges and Hindrances.
- Detailed information on day-to-day life in the Sundered Skies, including superstitions and commonly held beliefs. Game mechanics are included so they can have a direct influence on your game.
- Advanced dwarven munitions add even more explosive options to your arsenal of equipment.
- Several new ship designs, including the experimental flame dancer.
- New magic and spells, including a new goddess, The Beautiful One, and Voidomancy—where the caster draws on the void itself as a source for his spells.
- Holy days for god, each one dripping with role-playing and adventure potential.
- Expanded information on the isles of the skies, including four brand new island—The volcanic Atrium; frozen Frostrock, the desolate and tragic Remorse, and the mysterious jungle isle of Savannah.
- 16 cults and secret societies the heroes can join or oppose. Each goals and organisation is fully detailed, including unique Edges available to heroes who join.
- Over 25 new Savage Tales designed to be used alongside, and within the existing Plot Point found in Sundered Skies.
- Sundered Gods—a guide to what direction your campaign can take once the Plot Point is completed.
- A veritable horde of new monsters, opponents, and allies.
- And much, much more!
Savage Community
Forum Top Five | PEGInc Forums
Each week, I delve into the Pinnacle Forums to find you the very best stuff. Here’s what this week has to offer:
Arcane Abilities: This subsystem is designed to add more magical flair to your fantasy campaign by augmenting the current edge and powers system. Very cool stuff.
Multiple Personalities: Some people are of two minds about everything. This covers a character who not only has multiple personalities, but how to integrate the two over time.
Vehicles and Chases: If you’ve ever had questions about how the rules for vehicles and chases work, this is your thread.
Animal Stat Blocks: The Savage Worlds: Explorer’s Edition doesn’t have a lot of animals listed, so this thread attempts to fill in some gaps. Useful if you’re looking for a familiar.
Social Combat: This is a ruleset for social combat based on the Mass Combat rules. I’d like to see it tested and developed further.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: companion, daring tales of chivalry, encounter guide, hellfrost, pinnacle entertainment group, red sands, region guide, Space 1889, sundered skies, the mistlands, triple ace games, tyson j. hayes
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Savage Mondays – August 23, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/08/23 – 08:34 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer, if you have questions or just want to talk to us in real time just drop by the #savageworlds IRC Channel. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Oh the Podcasts! | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
This week Pinnacle decided to highlight The Gamer’s Haven‘s Gen Con coverage. The August 14 episode featured Clint Black, our Core Rules Brand Manager, and Sean Preston, founder of Reality Blurs. The August 15 episode features Jodi Black, frequent Pinnacle editor and proprietress of Beautiful Brains Books & Games, and Reality Blurs’ Dave Olson and Stacy Young. So give it a listen and let us know what you think in the comments!
Savage Licensees
Applied Vectors Gone But Not Forgotten | Applied Vectors
Somehow we missed this in our coverage last week but none the less the sad announcement comes from one of the licensee’s.
As the seasons change so does the focus of myself and my wife and business partner Anne Liddle. For this reason, we have decided to cease trading as Applied Vectors. Our books will still be available as legacy products on RPGnow etc, but there will be nothing new from us.
You can read more on Applied Vectors’ blog.
Interface Zero | Gun Metal Games
While I haven’t had a chance to dig into this setting yet this does look to be Shadowrun for Savage Worlds. With that in mind I know we can probably get Jeff to give it a fair shakedown.
Welcome to the Future!
Interface-Zero, is the first book in the Interface-Zero Cyberpunk Setting by Gun Metal games. IZ brings your Savage Worlds game up to speed with the dark, frenetic world of 2088.
Didja Bring Your Gun?
Within the pages of Interface-Zero, you can match wits with ancient triad lodge masters, anarchist hackers and digitalized corporate moguls. Thwart the machinations of the New Chinese Mandarinate, or the Theocratic North American Coalition. Stare down the end of your gauss rifle at or match nano-woven steel with ganglanders, gene-spliced hybrids and borg shock troopers.
Are ya Wired?
Life is fast in 2088. If ya wanna survive, you need to be faster. Don’t worry Ami, we got ya covered. Fast Furious and Fun cybernetic rules enable you to create any type of cybernetic implant or bioware modification you can imagine!
Wanna crash a corp Domain?
Interface Zero hooks you up with everything you need to hack a computer network or derezz an enemy hacker in 2088. But watch out, omae; ghost into the wrong system and you’ll get fried faster than your food vat can spit out NUTRIpaste!
Interface Zero is a game without barriers; a setting where you can be artificially intelligent robots, vat-grown simulacrum, transgenic hybrids or just plain old flesh and blood humans. You can jack into the world around you and program it to suit your needs. You can implant cyberware in your body, interface with machines, fly hover craft, golemmechs, jump bikes and even hover tanks and Low Altitude Vehicles complete with the latest weapons and cutting edge VTOL or anti-gravity propulsion systems.
You can assume the roles of shadow operatives who rage against the corporate machine, private detectives cut from a noir-inspired cloth, fearless, larger than life heroes piloting mecha in a futuristic, transhumanist Japan- even survivors gutting it out in a post-apocalyptic wasteland filled with mutant horrors or AI-spawned mechanical nightmares are viable concepts in Interface Zero. Interface Zero is more than just a game setting, it is a toolbox you can use, adding or dropping whichever elements you wish to create the sci-fi game world that you and your friends want to play in.
End of Chapter 1 | Daring Entertainment
Personally I’m curious what the next chapter has in store as Daring Entertainment builds its way to be the most highlighted Savage World Licensee on our Savage Monday coverage.
In explosive Chapter One finale, the town of Dalesbury has become a war zone as you discover a secret that could effect the future salvation of the human race.
Can you survive the attack by the Living Dead horde, rescue your allies, and escape to safety before the Living Dead consume you, and with you the salvation of humanity?
Call of Cthulhu Bennies | Reality Blurs
Reality Blurs has entered the arena of bennies! Drop by the Reality Blurs Store today to pick them up!
Hellfrost Region Guide #19: The Unclaimed Lands | Triple Ace Games
Below the Icewall, far to the north of the Hearthlands, are the Unclaimed Lands. A vast swathe of forest and rolling hills wracked by near-constant winter, many southerners consider the wilderness uninhabitable. Yet life prospers here for those who know and respect the power of nature and winter. Life is hard and a constant struggle against the elements, but here a man can truly be free. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
This supplement expands the Finnar culture, providing information on their social hierarchy, education, religion, and military. The cult of Ullr is expanded, giving details of its clergy and major rituals. GMs have six new major locales, two minor gods, and three new monsters to unleash against the players.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: applied vectors, daring entertainment, gun metal games, hellfrost, interface zero, pinnacle entertainment group, the gamer's haven, triple ace games, tyson j. hayes, war of the dead
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Crowdsourcing: How it is Working
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/08/18 – 00:00 -While I tapped out a merry tune of how crowdsourcing an entire RPG would never work, smug in my well thought out points, Jeff had to go and ruin it. Before posting the article he quickly made some points on how crowdsourcing was working, in smaller ways, the jerk. He quietly pointed out that the community at large made some great material that he’d used himself and dismissing it all as not working wasn’t quite the best route. I’m unfortunately, and with great sadness, forced to agree with him.
Rules Tweaks
I believe I did briefly mention this in my previous article that the community at large is fantastic for rule tweaks; anyone who has spent time reading our Savage Mondays knows this. It can be easily said that the crowd will create a better rule system then Pinnacle or Wizards ever could. Fans will spend countless hours tinkering with rules to get them to feel and play a certain way. All to make their lives easier, and sharing it just makes it easier for the rest of us. Even we here at Apathy Games, are guilty of the occasional suggestion, like modifying combat, and changing skills, all of these developed to make our lives easier that you.
Tips, Tricks, and Tools
We love good tools, but so does every gamer. The community has given us a tool for generating names, they’ve given us their time and feedback by showing up to the savage chat. We’ve in turn given back tips for keeping track of potential players, generating characters, and tips on using hindrances for writing prompts. Crowdsourcing is a two way street, without someone else giving feedback we’re creating in a void. You, our readers, inspire us to continue creating and writing. We’re like fairies, except we survive off of comments instead of claps (though we’ll take either when we’re within ear shot).
Grab and Go Material
The Savage community is really at its best when it’s producing grab and go material. I’ve seen blogs generate countless hooks, generate many characters, and more gaming aids then when could ever need. Without the community at large Savage Worlds would still be a part of the Great Rail Wars miniature game (that’s right I just busted some history up in here) and would never have attracted people like me to start developing for it.
So when it comes down to it, I can’t dismiss crowdsourcing all together. Without the crowd, no the community, we wouldn’t have the games that we do today.
Tags: adventure hooks, characters, crowdsourcing, dungeons and dragons, pinnacle entertainment group, tyson j. hayes, wizards, writing prompts
Categories: Behind the Bar |
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Savage Mondays – August 16, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/08/16 – 00:00 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer, if you have questions or just want to talk to us in real time just drop by the #savageworlds IRC Channel. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Gen Con Huge Success! |Pinnacle Entertainment Group
This was a triumph! I’m making a note here, HUGE SUCCESS!!! At least according to PEGInc, for a full recap on their GenCon experience head over to the Pinnacle front page and get all the juicy tidbits on how the con went. And those that did go make sure to head over to this forum thread, to suggest improvements for Savage Saturday Night.
Savage Licensees
War of the Dead Week 12 | Daring Entertainment
With only one more week left in Chapter 1 how will the player survive?
The seemingly peaceful town of Dalesbury has become a powder-keg of a power struggle between the Mayor and the newly arrived military forces, with you stuck in the middle.
With more questions than answers, a new mystery has developed as to the true identity of the town’s newest Mayor, and his real reasons for assuming control.
Answers, though, will have to wait thanks to a horde of hundreds of Living Dead marching directly towards the town . . . .
Region Guide #18: The Freelands | Triple Ace Games
Unfortunately as I have not yet had the opportunity to crack open the quickly becoming tomb of Hellfrost material I have no idea how many regions we have left? If you know let us know in the comments!
The Freelands are a sea of grassy hills and small woods, its scattered communities are islands of civility in a land plagued by orcs, giants, and undead. It is a land where mighty heroes can carve out a fief and be master of their own destinies, for no sovereign holds sway over the Freelands; or meet a painful death at the hands, teeth, and claws of the many horrors that haunt the land between settlements.
This supplement explores the Freelands in greater detail, providing information on religious view, military might, and the vital trade network, as well as giving GMs over half a dozen new major locales to wave into their adventures. Expanded information is provided for the cult of the Norns, along with two new minor deities and three new monsters.
Savage Community
August Edition of the Savage Sixth | The Savage Sixth
Last month, the Savage Sixth was absent from the Internet. This month, though, it is not. This month is a lot of behind the scenes and personal posts surounding the Savage Worlds community.
Forum Top Five | PEGInc Forums
Each week, I delve into the forums so that you don’t have to. Here are, in my opinion, the top five threads from the past week:
Future Explorer’s Editions: People seem to really appreciate the smaller, less costly explorer’s editions of the core rules and of Necessary Evil. As other settings sell out their print runs, Pinnacle is working on making Explorer’s Editions of them as well. Next up is Rippers and Evernight, but this thread includes some other tidbits and details directly from Pinnacle’s mouth. As this news is still considered unofficial, we’re only going to point you at it, instead of broadcast it directly.
Viking Setting: What’s more savage than Vikings? Reader Grubman is putting together a setting inspired by the 13th Warrior. It’s called The Mistland Saga, and it sounds pretty awesome.
Cyberware and Mutations: Like magic, there are many different approaches to handling cyberware in your game. This thread gets into a bit of the theory behind the various ideas.
Nanotech Augmentations: Cyberware seems to be a theme this week, so here is a well developed and solid example of using Nanotech Augmentations in your games. Thanks go to OSIAdept for sharing his work.
Transformers: The only thing cooler about a man that turns into a robot is a robot that turns into a car. This thread is a fun discussion of playing a Transformers game in Savage Worlds.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: daring entertainment, gencon, hellfrost, pinnacle entertainment group, region guide, the freelands, tyson j. hayes, war of the dead
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Savage Mondays – August 9, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/08/09 – 00:00 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer, if you have questions or just want to talk to us in real time just drop by the #savageworlds IRC Channel. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
As GenCon just concluded the news seems to be holding its breath waiting for the right time to unleash the tide of news and announcements at GenCon. Unfortunately as our news cycle ends on Sundays you’ll have to wait another week to pick up on all the news. We’ll report everything we can find, until then this is the news we’ve managed to pick up.
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Deadlands Map & New Deadlands Released | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
The Weird West just got a little less weirder with this new map released from Pinnacle. If you want a full sized map that’s nice and poster sized you’ll have to pick up the Marshal’s Handbook or Player’s Guide that were just released.
Savage Licenses
War of the Dead Week 11 | Daring Entertainment
Only two more weeks left until the end of Chapter 1! This weeks adventure brings the heroes ever closer to the end.
After being rescued from impending death thanks to an Apache helicopter that crashed into your vehicle, you have been nursed back to health and accepted by the people of Dalesbury.
Assigned to patrol duty as a means of contributing to the town’s welfare in exchange for your medical treatment, you encountered a convoy of soldiers that survived the Jacksonville massacre. Taking them back to Dalesbury, you have ignited the fuse to a possible powder keg.
Now the place of safe haven and support is threatened to be torn apart in a power struggle between the politicians of Dalesbury and the newly arrived military forces, with you stuck dead in the middle.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: daring entertainment, deadlands reloaded, pinnacle entertainment group, tyson j. hayes, war of the dead
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Savage Mondays – August 2, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/08/02 – 00:00 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer, if you have questions or just want to talk to us in real time just drop by the #savageworlds IRC Channel. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
As we mentioned last week with GenCon less then a week away news is a bit few and far between. Even if we do manage to scrape up some news it’s mostly about GenCon. Which makes people like us, who aren’t going, rather sad.
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
GenCon, GenCon, GENCON! | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Pinnacle announced a number of neat little items would be available at GenCon.
- Gen Con will mark the first public appearance of the Savage Worlds version of a Frank Chadwick classic — Space 1889: Red Sands.
- The new versions of the Deadlands Reloaded rulebooks (the Player’s Guide and the Marshal’s Handbook) will also be available.
- The Savage Worlds Starter Kit which is a sweet little simulated box which contains and contains a Savage Worlds: Explorer’s Edition, the oversized Savage Worlds Action Deck, a set of polyhedral dice, a custom Wild Die (from the Deadlands Dice Set), a set of mini poker chips (for indicators, bennies, or Deadlands Fate Chips), and cut-and-use templates, which they have on sale for $20! If anyone wants to pick one up for me let me know.
- New Space: 1889 Bennies! Which Pinnacle says is also available on their website.
- Another Seminar! After the seminar at Orgins Pinnacle is back to chat a bit more and answer all of your burning questions. They expect (and we’re hoping to) that Ogma videotapes the seminar.
Fantasy Companion now available for Fantasy Grounds II
It’s small news, but if you use Fantasy Grounds II for your Savage Fantasy game, then this might be a big deal to you.
Savage Licenses
War of the Dead Week 10 | Daring Entertainment
The first Chapter of the War of the Dead is drawing to a close, only three more weeks until the thrilling chapter one conclusion!
You’ve survived one catastrophe after another, seen every bit of peace you could squeeze from the world bled dry, and you finally had a plan and a destination. After being forced to react to the dying world, it looked as if you were finally going to be able to act first. Then it all came crashing down around you . . . or, more accurately, an Apache helicopter came crashing into you.
In War of the Dead: Week 10, you are rescued from the wreckage by a patrol team from the nearby town of Dalesbury.
Have you finally found a safe haven, or is it yet another taunting from the gods above?
The Pine Ridge Horror Released! | Silver Gryphon Games
Silver Gryphon Games has kicked off con season by releasing their new adventure, The Pine Ridge Horror.
The Pine Ridge Region is a large territory of heavily forested ridges, buttes, and canyons, stretching across northwest Nebraska and into South Dakota. On the South Dakota land is the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, home to the Oglala Sioux Nation.
The Pine Ridge is densely covered in pine trees, with cottonwoods and other deciduous trees in the canyon bottoms. The buttes and canyons are quite rocky and the trails can have treacherous footing. A person can, and hikers often do, get lost on these trails, sometimes for days before stumbling across other campers or the park rangers. Along with smaller animals such as rabbit, squirrel, and chipmunk, the area is also home to larger game such as bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, and wild turkey. A few prairie rattlesnakes also make their home here.
Two boys, hiking deep in the Pine Ridge Forest, stumble upon a ravaged camp and make a gruesome discovery. The remains of five campers, ripped limb from limb, partially eaten, and scattered about the area; turned into a feast for the flies, insects, and larger scavengers. Hearing a “roaring” from the nearby hills, the boys quickly fled the camp and made their way to the nearest Ranger station, nearly a half a day’s hike.
This adventure requires only the Savage Worlds Core Book to play. Other toolkits, supplements, or setting trappings may be used depending on the flavor the GM wishes to add to the adventure. This is the perfect adventure to run if you’re camping, love the outdoors, or are a fan of early 80′s slasher flicks.
What you’ll find inside is:
- 16 pages of adventure
- A full color map of the main adventuring area
- Bookmarks for easy access to the PDF every step of the way
- Detailed NPCs and Creatures
- Suggested music
- An Outline of Events for the GM
New Hellfrost Region Guide & Adventure! | Triple Ace Games
As Wiggy and Rob have decided to descend upon GenCon this year, Triple Ace Games has decided to pave the way with new Hellfrost Releases! Then they had a better idea. Why not put the entire catalog on sale! So for the month of August you’ll be able to get all the all of the Hellfrost books. So check out the TAG Store for all the new deals!
Hellfrost Region Guide #17: The Great Swamp
In days of yore the Great Swamp was home to the advanced gatorman race. Now reduced to a state of primitive barbarity, their role as rulers of the swamp has been usurped by the lizardmen, led by the Tyrant Lizard King. A dank land of ever-hungry thunderlizards, crumbling ruins, and bloodthirsty inhabitants, the Great Swamp is no place for the weak of heart.
This product explores the dangers of the Great swamp, delves into the crumbling cities of old, details the bloodthirsty gods of the lizardmen and gatormen, and gives stats for a variety of deadly new creatures.
Hellfrost Adventure: #14 – The Frost Giant’s Hold
THE END IS NIGH!
Three times the heroes have interfered in the plans of Jarl Hrimwulf the Grim, and three times the heroes have vanquished the jarl’s minions. But now the Norns have decreed the final act must play out between might frost giant and mortal adventures. At stake is nothing less that the fate of the Hearthlands. After facing death on the shores of White Lake battle must be taken to The Frost Giant’s Hold!
The Frost Giant’s Hold is the last installment of a four-part series, but can be played as a standalone adventure.
This adventure contains Figure Flats for all the monsters and NPCs, as well as detailed maps.
New White Haired Man Site | White Haired Man
Viz of White Haired Man shot me an e-mail last week about their new site and resources and it was pretty cool! Now it’s been released to the general public. So go check out all of the Kith’takharos setting information, and the new blog! He mentioned that we can expect to see a new post about twice a week. Looking forward to it guys!
Savage Community
Forum Fever! | PEGInc Forums
As always, I pour through the forums to bring you the best conversations and material. I missed last week, so this week is full of extra goodness.
NPC Cards: Cards are a handy way of tracking NPCs. There are some floating around the internet, and this thread tells you where, and some best practices.
Fallout Character Sheet: This sheet is interesting even if you aren’t playing a Fallout game. The layout is unique, and it’s rather pretty.
Free Supers Art: If you’re looking for some character art for you supers or Necessary Evil game, here you go.
Remembering Hindrances: It’s a challenge. Every player has hindrances, and it’s something that you really want to keep in mind when running a game. This thread is a good discussion as to how to do that.
Traps: More on adding traps to your game.
Schools of Magic: It’s a very D&D concept, but some people want a little more depth in their magic system. Some fans are working on doing just that.
Ward Spell: A hole has been found in the Savage Worlds powers list. Wards, circles of protections, and the like are absent. Not anymore. This is a very good thread, with some solid savage spells coming out of it.
Tags: bennies, daring entertainment, deadlands reloaded, hellfrost, pine ridge horror, pinnacle entertainment group, red sands, region guide, savage worlds starter kit, silver gryphon games, Space 1889, the frost giant's hold, the great swamp, triple ace games, tyson j. hayes, war of the dead
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Savage Mondays – July 12, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/07/12 – 00:00 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
The Deadlands Update | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Pinnacle spent their Tuesday update notifying us of all the changes that’ll be happening with Deadlands as we’ll as noting two more editions to their Downloads page.
Second Printing Additions: If you’ve got the first printing of Deadlands: Reloaded, you probably want to know what’s changed in the second printing. Aside from splitting it into two separate books to help save you some dinero, not a whole whoppin’ lot. What has changed, though, is detailed in the Deadlands: Reloaded Additions PDF, available free from ourDownloads page. While we’d be happy to sell you a couple more books, all you need to keep current with your existing Deadlands: Reloaded book is this handy free PDF.
Deadlands Conversion Notes: Two more sets of John Billings’ conversion notes are out so you can use your existing Deadlands Classic materials in your current Deadlands: Reloaded game. Visit our Downloads page for conversion notes for Ghostriders in the Sky and Independence Day.
Savage Licensees
Notes from the Blur | Reality Blurs
Sean and the gang have been busy this week. While trying to wrap up all of their work on Iron Dynasty they managed to post a bit more about it on their Facebook page. It’s a bit long to repost here, so we’ll meerly direct you to becoming a fan of their page.
But that’s not all! Remember that little chatroom we decided to start? Well Sean and the gang decided to drop in for a little Q&A. You can find the Reality Blurs Chatlog here.
But wait there is more! There is one little bit I want to highlight out of the chatlog that is exciting news, and we have the scoop!
Sean Preston, “I finally sorted out the details with Jamie Chambers to write a Realms of Cthulhu adventure. The delay was totally my fault. It’ll be featured in Mythos Tales: Volume II. Of course, we have to get MT: Volume I out first, but the art is coming in on that one and it’s through edits…”
For those who are not aware Jamie Chamber’s is the man behind the Serenity Game and the Battlestar Galactica game. Expect more on this as it develops!
Sundered Skies Companion | Triple Ace Games
Feeling a bit left out after all the releases for Hellfrost? Thinking that your Sundered Skies game needs a pick-me up? Well your in luck! The crack team of writers at Triple Ace Games have released a preview of the Sundered Skies Companion.
The Sundered Skies Companion expands upon and compliments the information found in the Sundered Skies core book. Designed to be used by players and Gamemaster’s the Sundered Skies Companion is bursting with gaming goodness, including;
- A host of new Edges and Hindrances.
- Detailed information on day-to-day life in the Sundered Skies, including superstitions and commonly held beliefs. Game mechanics are included so they can have a direct influence on your game.
- Advanced dwarven munitions add even more explosive options to your arsenal of equipment.
- Several new ship designs, including the experimental flame dancer.
- New magic and spells, including a new goddess, The Beautiful One, and Voidomancy—where the caster draws on the void itself as a source for his spells.
- Holy days for god, each one dripping with role-playing and adventure potential.
- Expanded information on the isles of the skies, including four brand new island—The volcanic Atrium; frozen Frostrock, the desolate and tragic Remorse, and the mysterious jungle isle of Savannah.
- 16 cults and secret societies the heroes can join or oppose. Each goals and organisation is fully detailed, including unique Edges available to heroes who join.
- Over 25 new Savage Tales designed to be used alongside, and within the existing Plot Point found in Sundered Skies.
- Sundered Gods—a guide to what direction your campaign can take once the Plot Point is completed.
- A veritable horde of new monsters, opponents, and allies.
- And much, much more!
Hellfrost Region Guide #13 | Triple Ace Games
We’d be lost and confused if we didn’t have another week without a new Region Guide. This week TAG announces Hellfrost Region Guide #13: Royalmark
The ancestral heartland of the Marklands, Royalmark is home to the High Cyning of the Saxa. A large state with a powerful army, Royalmark could be a major political and military power in the Hearthlands, yet time has seemingly passed the royal land by, and the natives remain insular, proud of their ancient ways and unwilling to alter them to fit a changing world. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
This supplement expands on the cult of Eostre and details many of her festivals, provides aditional details on Royalmark, provides new major locales and persons of note, explains the cults of Veth and K’kroakaa, and gives stats for three new monsters.
Savage Community
Origins Savage Worlds Seminar | YouTube
This four part video is of the Savage Worlds Seminar at Origins, just filled with tidbits and stuff, some official and some… well not. For more details, you’ll simply have to watch.
The Forums are a Magical Place | PEGInc Forums
Once again, I pour through the forums so you don’t have to. Not to say that you shouldn’t. We both know you intend to, but you always put it off. You’re probably busy checking out the new Firefox beta. I understand, so here is some of the best content from the forums.
Graduated Powers: This thread is actually about allowing characters to take powers above their rank at a casting penalty, but it also refers to a system of powers that grow as your character gains rank.
Trappings of Air: Elemental magic has a big following. Much of it is easy, but how do you capture the trappings of air for common damaging powers? This thread discusses that topic.
New Power – Lighten Load: Tenser’s floating disk is a common spell in D&D. It’s utility ranges from the obvious to the creative. Here, similar power ideas are discussed, and a couple of interesting options have been developed.
Point Based Advancement: Essentially, this is a system where characters spend their experience points directly to buy new abilities, as opposed to waiting for a new rank.
XP for Short Sessions: While on the topic of experience, what is a good amount to give if you’re running very short sessions infrequently? Opinions differ. Personally I’d give out more than usual, but this thread covers the topic in detail.
Hirelings: So, your players want to hire people to help them? Here’s a system for handling the interview process.
Simplifying Weapons: Sometimes, Savage Worlds just isn’t simple enough for some. Here is a discussion for abstracting weapons a step further. Very cool stuff, actually, if you want a cinematic feel, or want all weapons to be equally viable for stylistic reasons.
Simplifying Skills: Some skills are just begging to be merged, and have been in other games. Here Swimming and Climbing get the treatment.
New Combat Edges: These two edges give your strength based character a little extra impact. They could be quite solid and find a home in many campaigns.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. Want to talk to us in real time? Drop by the #savageworlds IRC Channel. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: deadlands reloaded, hellfrost, iron dynasty, pinnacle entertainment group, reality blurs, realms of ctuhulu, region guide, royalmark, sundered skies, triple ace games, tyson j. hayes
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Savage Mondays – June 21, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/06/21 – 18:24 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Deadlands Player’s Guide Available at Orgins and Gen Con | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
We know you’ve been hankering for the new Deadlands Reloaded Player’s Guide and Marshal’s Guide. Well for those of you who just can’t wait two pieces of news will excite you. First off Pinnacle has decided to let the PDF drop immediately. Which means that you can get your hands on the digital copy and let it satiate your appetite until September when the book stocks up and they get sent out. So pre-order your copy now!
However, there is a special treat for those of you who are going to Gen Con or Origins (lucky bastards). You’ll be able to buy a hard copy from Pinnacle early. They’ll have copies in hand at the cons. So if your lucky enough to pick up a copy early let us know and give us a guest review!
Weird War 2 Vehicle Counters | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
While still on a bit of a patriotic binge Pinnacle has released a new freebie to their downloads page. So if you want to spice up your Weird Wars 2 game with some vehicle counters you’ll be able to pick them up here [PDF Link].
Savage Licensees
Pinebox Character Sheets | 12 to Midnight
Now that they’ve been absorbed into Pinnacle we figured we wouldn’t be hearing much more from 12 to Midnight, but oh were we wrong. They creaked open the coffin to announce their new Character Sheet [PDF Link]. So if your characters aren’t rolling over in their graves they might start now.
Serpent Scales: Return to Monster Island | Atomic Overmind Press
After a weeks of teasing us with the release Return to Monster Island has finally been released.
Wreathed in mist and veiled in mystery, Monster Island was bad enough during the BIG ONE, when it held cannibal soldiers sworn to kill and die for Hirohito, and savage tribes who worshiped Golyeong, the MIGHTY “gorilla ghost.” After the Serpentfall, who knows what TREMENDOUS horrors might be RISING UP in Monster Island’s jungles, awakened from the prehistoric past?
Inside this HUMONGOUS 27 page PDF you’ll find:
- MASSIVE statistics for five GIANT monsters, six deadly dinosaurs, and three more mysterious foes!
- Three HUGE volcanoes, a TOWERING plateau, and many more adventurous locations, mapped and trapped and ready to go!
- A truly COLOSSAL showdown adventure — “Deploy All Monsters!”
- VASTLY useful game-building tools and advice, including the Top Five Other Places to Fight Dinosaurs, a QUITE FRANKLY EXCESSIVE Monster Island Encounter Generator, and tips on moving Monster Island into your own campaign!
ALL of this ENORMOUS excitement can be yours, when you …
War of the Dead: Week 4 & 5, Now on Sale! | Daring Entertainment
The 52 week extravaganza continues to roll on with the releases of Week 4 & 5.
All hell has broken loose on the Pinnacle cruise ship. What should have been a fun-filled maiden voyage to the Bahamas has turned into disaster. In a matter of hours, the Living Dead have infected the entire ship. Thousands have been turned into flesh-eating ghouls. The ship has been damaged and is without power, navigation, or communications-rendering it dead in the water.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the surviving passengers have begun losing their minds!
With morale at an all time low and tensions high, the nerves of the passengers have reached a breaking point as the greatest threat is no longer the Living Dead . . . but the very people around them.
You barely survived the outbreak aboard the Pinnacle cruise ship as the rest of the passengers and crew became Living Dead. After escaping in a mercenary craft that was damaged during the final battle against the zombies, you managed to ride the waves back to the United States, coming upon a small marina.
Although the place is deserted, a brief encounter with the Living Dead proves that whatever is happening wasn’t just confined to the cruise ship.
But can you survive when a new enemy rears its head? An enemy far, far more dangerous than the Living Dead?
Legends of Steel | Evil DM Productions
Evil DM Productions rises from a deep slumber to release a game without so much as an update to their news stream. Rumbling forward quietly with a gorgeous release
The Legends of Steel -Savage Worlds Edition includes:
- Character generation specific to the Legends of Steel universe.
- New Edges created specifically for a cinematic Sword & Sorcery game.
- A full color map of the world of Erisa – the official campaign world for Legends of Steel.
- A gazetteer loaded with information and plot hooks on the various nations of Erisa.
- An introductory Sword & Sorcery Adventure set in Erisa.
Daring Tales of Adventure #02: Web of the Spider Cult | Triple Ace Games
A couple of weeks after it’s release the Daring Tales of Adventure Status Report Triple Ace Games released it’s new adventure Web of the Spider Cult.
When you find a dead body in your house, especially one which belongs to a notable explorer, you know it’s not going to be an ordinary day. Web of the Spider Cult takes the heroes from the corridors and galleries of the Boston Museum, to the bayou of Louisiana, and onto the dark jungles of Mexico. There, amid the ruins of a centuries old temple, the adventurers face their greatest enemy so far in their extraordinary adventures.
Hellfrost Region Guides #6-#9 | Triple Ace Games
The dark realm known as the Withered Lands has been a thorn in the side of the living since its founding. Permanently shrouded in mist and corrupted by the endless necromantic magic invoked there, it is a land rightly shunned by the living. All save the cult of Scaetha, that is, for this unhallowed land is their preferred hunting ground. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
This product details new places of horror, explores the history behind some of the more notorious denizens, provides expanded material on the cult of Scaetha and important ceremonies, and offers adventure seeds, a new minor god, Biflindi, Scaetha’s Shield, seven new undead, and a host of zombie variants.
The most northern of the Low Winterlands realms, Shattered Moor is a distant outpost of civilization among a sea of barbaric Vendahl and crazed frostreavers. A bleak landscape of broken moors, frozen marshes, steep hills, jagged valleys, and the upland of Fell Plateau, only the hardiest souls can survive here. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
This supplement adds new settlements and places to explore to the setting, gives players of Sigel’s clerics more background information to help them play their role in the world, gives adventuring tips and adventure seeds, and details the Hildolfr, god of berserks, and Ursarix, the bear god of the Vendahl. New NPC archetypes and monsters round out the product.
The sea, poetically known as the whale-road and Neorthe’s roof, has long fascinated men. An invisible network of trade routes weave across its turbulent surface, carrying men and cargoes from port to port, yet it is a realm more dangerous than any other. Ships face attack by terrible beasts and marauding pirates, orc galleys prowl in search of fresh victims, storms batter at fragile vessels and submerged rocks threaten to tear hulls to kindling.
This supplement takes a look at some of the treacherous waters around Rassilon, delves deeper into the cult of Neorthe, god of the sea, explores nautical travel and underwater combat, details two new gods, Carcharas, the shark god, and Vegtam, minor god of mariners and marines, and presents new aquatic and nautical hazards and creatures.
For centuries the fierce tribes of the Drachenlands have resisted all who dare to invade their lands. In the past their expansionistic tendencies have been thwarted, but now they have a strong leader, and their eyes are again turning toward their more prosperous neighbors. This supplement expands on information in theHellfrost Gazetteer.
This product expands on the Drachenlands, detailing new people and places of note and providing additional background information. Clerics of Hothar gain deeper insight into their faith, along with descriptions of key festivals. Three minor gods, a unique creature, and three monsters round out the supplement.
Yes, this update is late. It’s terrible for both of us. Hopefully, you’ve not run out of patience waiting for this forum goodness.
Settings: If you’ve been eyeing Dark Sun for D&D, but just can’t bring yourself to change systems, a Savage Worlds conversion has been kindly provided. Also of interest, Semper Mortalitas has an interesting idea for a Supers setter where everyone gets their powers from Hell. It’s certainly worth a look.
Cool Rules: Gun Metal Games continues to tease the forum members with stuff about their upcoming cyberpunk setting, Interface Zero. The cool part of this is that we get to see and play with a bunch of the nifty rules they are coming up with. Consider it a preview mixed with a playtest. The thread is long, but the page I’ve linked to has some tasty sounding drugs a couple posts down.
In a similar vein, Gunkata makes an appearance. For those unfamiliar, gunkata is a martial arts form that uses pistols. In some forms, it’s a mathmatical probability form that lets a shooter take on hoards of men with his eyes closed. In other forms, it’s just badass close quarters gun combat.
Behind the Scenes: Have you ever wondered why advances require ten experience points instead of five when you reach legendary? This rule is discussed, and Clint gives some insider feedback.
Other Neat Stuff: Ultimoose has recorded a couple podcasts of his play-through of Zombie Run. I haven’t had a chance to listen to them, but I like the idea as a way to introduce people to the ruleset. If you’ve listened to them, let me know what you think. Another interesting creation is a PocketMod character sheet. Basically, you cut and fold it into a small booklet that fits in your pocket. I very nifty idea.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. Is Portuguese your native language? Check out the translation of our Savage Mondays posts at Retropunk.net. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: atomic overmind press, character sheet, daring entertainment, daring tales of adventure, deadlands reloaded, evil dm productions, hellfrost, legends of steel, pinebox, pinnacle entertainment group, region guide, return to monster island, serpent scales, triple ace games, tyson j. hayes, war of the dead, web of the spider cult, weird war 2
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Savage Mondays – June 14, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/06/14 – 00:00 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Deluge Now on PDF | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Deluge, John Goff’s novelization of the Deadlands Plot Point Campaign The Flood, is now available in PDF form. So if you want to read someone else’s take on the plot point get it now!
Bring Back Bomber Bombshells | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
This week Pinnacle has decided to commemorate the recent Memorial Day by turning their Weird War II Bennies into Weird War II wallpapers. So if you want these Bombshell’s on your desktop go grab them now!
Savage Licensees
iPad Wallpaper | Adamant Entertainment
In what must have been an odd coincidence Adamant Entertainment has released five new wallpapers specifically designed for the iPad. So if you need some wallpaper to grace your glorious new toy, you can grab ‘em here.
Daring Tales of the Space Lane: Deadly Chant | Triple Ace Games
Triple Ace Games is back with a new Daring Tales of the Space Lane: Deadly Chant.
The Xanthi (a.k.a. “spacewhales”), one of the most beautiful and strange life forms of deep space, are going mad! For no apparent reason they are attacking the domed cities and astrofarms of the Greenbelt region with ravenous fury. What has transformed these peaceful beings into merciless destroyers?
Space chases, gunfights and dark, evil plots await the heroes in this adventure among the asteroids.
Iron Dynasty Cover Art | Reality Blurs
Iron Dynasty is one of the most exciting settings on the horizon. If you’re like us and appreciate any little tidbit about it, then you’ll be excited to see the new cover art.
Savage Community
It’s a Trap! | PEGInc Forums
Admiral Ackbar saw it coming, and now you can too. An entire thread about traps in Savage Worlds. Watch for falling rocks.
Also, Star Frontiers gets the unofficial savage treatment. This game was originally produced by TSR in the 1980′s, and there seems to be quite some excitement surrounding this conversion. It’s certainly worth a look.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. Is Portuguese your native language? Check out the translation of our Savage Mondays posts at Retropunk.net. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: adamant entertainment group, daring tales of the space lane, deadlands reloaded, deadly chant, pinnacle entertainment group, tyson j. hayes, weird war 2
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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Savage Mondays – June 7, 2010
Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2010/06/07 – 00:00 -It’s a Savage World out there, and Apathy Games provides the tools to survive it. First, check out our Savage Worlds Primer. If you’re looking for more up to date news, here’s what’s happening now:
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Deadlands Classic Conversion | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
For all of you Deadlands Classic fans out their that miss the old adventures that came out in the Marshall’s handbook and have been hankering to play them again well your in luck. Pinnacle has decided to release some conversion notes on how to update the game to Deadlands: Reloaded. So for those of you interested in playing the old adventures again you can find the conversion notes on Pinnacle’s Download page.
There’s a hidden bonus in these downloads: a preview of the new covers for the Deadlands: Reloaded Player’s and Marshal’s guides.
Pregenerated Weird War II Characters | Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Have you been playing the most patriotic Savage Worlds game for Memorial Day, or even started planning out an adventure or two for the up coming patriotic holiday? Well even if your not Pinnacle has released some Weird War 2 Reinforcements [PDF Link] for your quick character generation needs.
Savage Licensees
Free MARS One-Sheet Adventure! | Adamant Entertainment
Hankering for some hot martian sand adventure? ”The Sons of Tara” is a new one-sheet adventure released from Adamant Entertainment for their game MARS. On an amusing side note, the preview file on RPGNow, is the entire pdf, but hey, it’s free right?
Serpent Scales #3: Return to Monster Island PREVIEW | Atomic Overmind Press
Continuing to tease the upcoming release adventure for the Day After Ragnarok. While we covered all of the upcoming information on our Savage Status Report Atomic Overmind has released the Top Five Other Places to Fight Dinosaurs. The logic being that if your going to punch a T-Rex in the face, you may as well have more then one place to do it.
War of the Dead On Sale | Daring Entertainment
After teasing us for quite a while War of the Dead is finally released. The 52 Week weekly adventure has kicked it into high gear by slotting out the first 13 weeks of release. Grab Chapters 1-3 ($7.99) or the Chapter 1 Subscription ($19.99) and get to surviving this year long adventure.
Old School Fantasy #2: Darkness Over Keryhk Nhor Now Out | Reality Blurs
Reality Blurs have been a busy bunch, this week they released Darkness Over Keryhk Nhor for Old School Fantasy Adventure.
Nearly a century ago, the once great Dwarven Empire abandoned the Jagged Reaches when the mines collapsed and a majority of the miners were killed. Keryhk Nhor, the Great Western Hall and source of great pride to the Dwarven Empire, was sealed and has not been opened since. That is, until today. The question is two-fold: who was powerful enough to break the Seal of the Iron Mage and why?
3.5/OGL Playtest of The Repository | White Haired Man
While not Savage Worlds specific The Repository is an adventure for Kith’takharos and will be released for Savage Worlds at the same time. So, if your chomping at the bit to get a look at the new adventure from White Haired Man saunter over to the sign up sheet. The playtest will occur on Saturday June 12 @ 18:00 UTC.
Thousands of years ago, the Harlass Orn thrived in the swamps surrounding Kith’takharos. At the height of their achievements, the Harlass Orn fought a desperate war against extra-dimensional creatures called Veilwalkers. The Veilwalkers created numerous battle constructs and placed them in storage facilities called repositories.
Savage Community
June Savage Sixth | The Savage Sixth
A new month has come around, and so has a new Savage Sixth. There are only two posts this month, a new Necessary Evil character, and a review of Weird War II.
New House Rules on Savagepedia | Savagepedia
Recently, user dugfromthearth has posted some of his house rules. The most interesting of which are his Cleave edge and some modified called shots.
From the Forums to You | PEGInc Forums
The rumblings continue. Something dark is stirring beneath the Internet. The latest signs include a discussion on mixing various settings and toolkits together like peanut butter and chocolate, or sea urchin and cookies. Do you need Cyberpunk Cthulhu? I thought so.
Also, the neverending quest for a magic system that doesn’t use power points continues. Most systems. More ideas. Apparently, people really want this.
Do you like Savage News but want it more than once a week? Subscribe to our Twitter. We won’t promise to drown you in a flood of news, but we won’t promise not to, either. Is Portuguese your native language? Check out the translation of our Savage Mondays posts at Retropunk.net. As always, if we missed something, let our readers know in the comments.
Tags: adamant entertainment, atomic overmind press, daring entertainment, deadlands classic, deadlands reloaded, kith'takharos, old school fantasy, pinnacle entertainment group, reality blurs, return to monster island, serpent scales, the sons of tara, tyson j. hayes, war of the dead, weird war 2, white haired man
Categories: Savage Mondays, Savage Worlds |
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