Marshes & Underground Area d100 Encounter Tables From Tales of Aeril Blog For Your Old School Campaigns

Swamps are a nasty area for adventurers to get caught in, while poking around OSR today I stumbled upon a series of D100 encounter characters that Reece PC has done. I've been looking for resources like this for a very long time. They're culled from a number of old school sources and very well done.

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All of the old favorites are there including swamp gas,giant spiders, undead,and any number of horrors. Very well done stuff. His underground d100 list is pretty damn amazing. The thing draws from a number of sources and creates an underworld of pretty terrifying nastiness for adventurers to encounter. Most of the material is drawn from a number of OD&D and AD&D first edition sources making this one of the most useful encounter charts I've seen in a long while. Special thanks to Tankar over at the OSR today blog for bring these to my attention HERE
And the Tales of Aeril blog for doing this wonderful series of solid series of encounter tables. 

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Free OSR Adventure Location Resource - Adventures In High Wold By Corey Ryan Walden For Your Old School Sword and Sorcery Campaigns

So I'm planning on running a Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea one shot adventure soon but I need a town and fast, like Monday fast. So I started looking around and stumbled upon Adventures In High Wold. Not only is this a free town resource but it has everything your going to need for a party of adventurers to have a starting point, home base, and even the potential for some back yard adventures in this resource. Adventures In High Wold By Corey Ryan Walden has everything right out of the gate for a town setting for an D&D style old school campaign.

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It clocks in at eleven pages of sheers old school goodness with plenty of room to add, modify, and weave this town right into the background of your own campaign. 

So what's in the backdrop of this free town pdf?
Well according to Lulu:
This supplement is for any DM who needs a town, and needs a town fast! Designed to be compatible with any fantasy role-playing game system, Adventures In Highwold is the perfect starting point for any campaign. Includes two full colour maps, a table of random encounters, area descriptions, fearsome foes and numerous adventure seeds for exciting adventures ahead. Now I said that I was adding a backwater town setting to AS&SH how can this add in the details that are needed to really convey the sword and sorcery feel of this to Hyperborea. Well that's part of the charm of Adventures in High Wold. The author has spun this town into a perfect backdrop for your adventures, perhaps a mammoth or two as heavy farm animals, a few weird mounts in the backdrop and your ready to go. This resource is that useful and its only nine pages and it also includes some lovely and well done maps of the town,did I mention that all of the NPC's have really well thought out motives and desires to get involved with your PC's. Not all is well in High Wold and that's the perfect in for your PC's to get involved in the day to day goings on of the town. This product has a ton of potential for a party there are numerous hooks and dodges that allow a DM to lay the colour of their campaign set's on thick. And the town can take it. This is also a really nice backwater to stick into a game like Lamentations of the Flame Princess where a place of relative calm is needed to deal with some of the darker aspects. High Wold can act as bastion of light to the weirdness and high darkness of pulp adventures or so it seems. This makes a perfect jump off point for your PC's to spring into the high frontiers of adventure. Because of the very nature of this product its a perfect jump off point for a party and a nice place to end up back in. High Wold could well be a nice place to retire your adventurers to after dealing with the many threats and hazards that a world like Hyperborea has to off. But like all small towns this one has secrets and a few of them could get your adventurers killed. All in all this is a really nice starting point for any campaign and with High Wold along with its adventure elements this is a really nice place to add into your campaigns as a starting point and to expand from it. This product works very well with other OSR products and by combining them, you've easily got the start for a whole bunch of old school sword and sorcery adventures. My advice is to go grab this and start using it, today!

Brand New Magical 1d10 Crowns Of The Serpent Men Table For The Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers Of Hyperborea Rpg System

They are the ten legendary crowns of the serpent men of Old Earth, the artifacts of the ancient priest kings and they are treasures beyond compare with powers that scrap the bounds of sanity. And they have been lost since the time of the Green Death, but there are rumors of their appearance from time to time. Things borne down from the time of legends and myth capable of turning the destinies of nations and whole peoples.They have been wrought with metal, blood, and the insanity of history itself. 

They're powers and abilities have been speculated and dreaded until now. 

Brand New Magical 1d10 Crowns Of The Serpent Men Table

1. Andug the blood devourer is a crown of weirdly wrought bronze like material interlaced with human and humanoid bones. This small and seemingly delicate crown is capable of dominating the mind of lesser beings as word of power effect three times per day and commanding up to 1d100 beings with a 30 mile range of the user. The owner may cast a charm spells at least once ever three  hours and their presence is addictive to those under the effects of the crown. The owner of the crown will crave human flesh at the beginning of the week. They will also have a poisonous bite as a serpents and magically grow fangs.
   The crown must be bathed in human blood once every three days and the owner may transform into a giant constrictor once per week. 
2. Gbarglagotu is the crown of the demonic snake lord and it an affair of gold, lapis, cut crystal, and weird wire that looks like human nerve endings the colour of blood. The owner is able to use a power word of stunning once per day, and rebuke undead as if they were a 4th level evil cleric. The owner may summon 1d10 demonic serpents once every three days and command them. They may also raise and summon a zombie to command of a strange serpent like aspect. The thing will obey the owner but may turn on them if the crown is removed. They will try to snap the owner's neck and destroy them. 
3. Ldethur the crown of birds and poisonous serpents, this crown is a combination of ancient dinosaur bones and serpent bones wrapped in fine gold wire. The owner is able to communicate with birds and other serpent like creatures. The owner of the crown can command a group of serpents or birds once per day. Crown may also sing and whistle to itself when not in use.It is said that its songs contain clues to the vaults of the serpent men filled with the treasures of a thousand bygone ages. 
4. Nglrurchme This crown contains the occult secrets of an upstart king who got a hold of this fine crown of gold and black silver from its serpent king master, it contains the essences of thirteen demons of horror. The crown is able to summon the demon Ithmorglkazgwe who will serve as the owner's concubine or assassin. With the understanding that it may slay the owner if it get's in the way of the demon collecting the souls of whom it slays or wants. The owner may take on the knowledge or aspect of the demon and all that it entails. The owner also has access to the memories and knowledge of a ten level wizard. 
5. Urglinarglkat is a vain and very dangerous crown that will try to possess the own with its own tainted soul and seek to sway the owner with offers of treasures and lies. The crown has none of these to offer but the ability to lie convincingly and to lend +3 strength to all battles it does in cold murder. 
6. Urgothiar the evil twin of Urglinarglkat which possesses the knowledge and skills of an ancient serpent man cult assassin/wizard of seventh level. This gold and pearl crown is able to focus and direct the mind of its owner and capable of causing the owner to shape shift into a cobra's form. The crown will try to possess the owner but will allow him to seemingly to remain in control. The personality of the crown is paranoid and devilish. 
7. The Crown of No Name, this crown possesses no personality of any type but has the ability to shield its owner from all mental powers or mind affecting magic when worn but there is a side effect. The owner will feel drained and their soul will be drawn off a bit at a time when worn. The soul of the victim will fade over 1d40 days as the crown draws it off into the Abyss. 
8. Baugorurotuthi the thrice damned, this crown has been created from an ancient serpent man king's finger bones. The crown allows one to peer into the Outer Darkness and understand the language of demons. The owner may summon a demon once per day. The crown may also allow one to create a single serpent of essence once per day to do the bidding of the owner. The serpent is a cunning assassin and the owner can see through its eyes. The crown may cause mutation as the taint of the thing runs through the owner. 
9. Lagogormeth the secret teller, this crown is able to identify and use many of the super science items found within the underworld of Hyperborea. The owner can unravel the workings of twisted bits and pieces of super science around them and they can peer through the darkness  surrounding them the vale of the Outer Darkness. Once per day they may summon the cold cloying mists of the Outer Darkness causing 1d8 points of damage as the cold and weird energies ravages the victim's bodies. 
10. Ulatugrc the insanity creator, this crown of gold and weird alloys allows one to peer into the mind's of its victims and induce bouts of temporary insanity. With its more powerful effects it can weave hallucinations insane enough to drive a man mad. The crown can also open doors to the realms of insanity and depravity. A very dangerous artifact that is capable of filtering through some of the insane revelations of the Great Old Ones. 

'The Pay What You' Want' OSR Adventure -HS1 The Lost Shrine of Sirona From Jeremy Reaban For Your Old School Campaigns

HS1 The Lost Shrine of Sirona From Jeremy Reaban is a really nice   'The Pay What You' Want' downloadable adventure that sets off to do something fairly simple and straight forward. It seeks to provide an evening's entertainment and do it well. This it succeeds in quite nicely and the module is 'pay what you want'

The module revels in its 'hack and slash' ethos and sometimes that's really all that's needed for a party of PC's.

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The text is concise, the maps pretty straight forward, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a really nice mid point adventure and crawl with a location based adventure plot.
Here's the drivethrurpg blurb: 

Remember when adventures were mostly about going into a dungeon, killing monsters, and grabbing treasure? HS1 The Shrine of Sirona is the first (hopefully) in a line of small modules that focus on the somewhat neglected and usually disdained "hack & slash" style play.

HS1 The Shrine of Sirona details a small (10 room) dungeon shrine that was been invaded and occupied by monsters. It is intended for 5th to 7th level characters using the advanced first edition of the most popular fantasy role-playing game but should work with all modern simulacra, and armor class is provided in most ascending and descending formats.

My advice with this adventure is to use it for an experienced party as mid range plot point crawl and hook for your campaign against the forces of darkness. It can provide a jump point for the events and ideas of what's happening in your OSR campaign or use it as a beginning stepping stone into greater things.
Or this adventure could simply be an evening's entertainment for a party of experienced PC's.
The module is only six pages long but don't let that fool you, there are some monsters and things that could easily end your PC's quite easily. This module could be adapted to your OD&D games or retroclones but your going to have to gut the monsters and use the locations.
With a game with pulp roots such as Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea. There is going to have to be level adjustments for the encounters and the monsters will have to be ported over but because of the way combat and the rest of the setting works this is a nice mid point pulp filled bridge gap action adventure style game night run.
This is a nice hack and slash adventure with plenty of room for DYI improvisation by a DM for fitting it into they're campaigns. Because is statted out for AD&D 1st edition. This is a perfect jump point for an OSRIC game or some 1st edition style retro clone system as well.
Using the adventure should be a nice and clear experience for a veteran DM and a nice up switch for someone who wants a fast, concise, and well thought out 'hack and slash' style game.
Clocking out at five pages this module provides a nice bit of violence and good old fashioned 'kill the monsters or PC's fun' with a bit of a nice up tick of a smattering of smartly written encounters, rooms, and more. 

Free OSR Adventure - Tomb of the Mummy Priest By by MedievalMan For The Basic Role Playing System

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Yesterday I wrote about The Catacombs of Death for the Basic D&D companion rules, a very high level and well done adventure with some in peusdo Egyptian setting. Now while looking through the Basic Fantasy rpg site I happened across a very interesting seven page adventure with another sword and sorcery over arch. The Tomb of The Mummy Priest is perfect low level adventure with some Lovecraftian overtones making it a welcome addition to a DM's table who is looking to run something well crafted, interesting, and potentially well done stepping stone for a campaign setting.
The plot is like something found right out of an old Universal or Hammer movie. This is a down and dirty D&D desert romp with all of the trimmings.
The plot goes something like this:
A desperate bandit uses the blood of innocent villagers to revive a long dead God but is now close to awakening something else instead. Now some adventurers are heading to the tomb to investigate it. Will they be surprised by something better left dead?
Darkness, death, depravity in the deserts of an adventure that can easily be placed right into the back yard of Stygia or another Conan style setting as easily as you can wave a sword at. This adventure is only seven pages but in those seven all of the major high points are hit.
This could be used as a nice adventure for an Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea rpg system adventure with a little modification. This adventure could be set in one of deserts of Hyperborea and used to introduce some of the PC's into deep desert locations within the game. Given the 'Old Earth' back history to that game this adventure is almost a natural fit. Most of the major monsters in this adventure are in the AS&SH rule books and referee books so its quite an easy conversion and almost straight across. The PC's could be easily sucked into a desert campaign with some dangerous overtones & add in some ghouls, cults, and other S&S elements and your well on your way to an AS&SH ancient Egyptian style campaign.
But back to the Tomb of the Mummy Priest adventure itself. The adventure is well worth your time. 

The set up is easy, the motive for the adventurers to get involved is very clear, and every thing flows nice and organically from the center of the material straight on to the table to the PC's. And there are clear cut reasons for this horror to take place but there are a few twists, just enough to make things very interesting.
I don't want to spoil the crawl in this one but if you've got a hankering for some sword, sandal, and sorcery action my advice is to grab this one and get playing. 

Free OSR Adventure From Dragon's Foot Catacombs of Death By For Expert-Companion Level D&D And Your Old School Retro Clone Systems

This is a sort of rare beast of a high level  adventure from Dragon's foot by author RC Pinnell because of the upper level of the PC's needed and the deadliness of the adventure.
The plot is something straight out of the pages of an old Dragon or Dungeon magazine in a good way, its got all of that hard core wilderness/ and dungeon action surrounding a nice plot of sword and sorcery action. But this one is an upper level crawl and lives up to its premise in spades. An old friend requires your help to rid themselves of a curse, but can you survive the Catacombs of Death. An Expert-Companion adventure for character levels 12-15.

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The author lays out the ground work for Catacombs of Death straight out of the gate.
This adventure is designed for characters at the upper range of the "Expert" levels of play--12 to 14. Players running demi-human types should have attained at least Attack Rank C, as provided in the Companion Manual of instructions, that their characters may be able to experience the adventure on a more or less equal footing with the human types.
This is not an open sand box style of adventure instead this is a carefully plotted adventure that follows PC's into the mid range of character development and the pit falls that go along with later life of such characters.
The encounters are a challenge for these characters and the adventure centers around several locations of very dangerous aspect and a rather nasty dungeon.
Action, NPC's, and plot are interwoven throughout the Catacombs of Death, the author making no secret of the lethality and challenge of its plot and story line. This isn't an adventure location but a set of interwoven plots in the style of the older adventures for Basic D&D and retroclone systems.
Think of this module in terms of the Expert module such as the Slave Lord series because there is a very similar vibe running throughout the adventure, a set of circumstances that will haunt the characters for years to come surrounding events already set into motion.
This is an adventure about old vendettas, ancient history, and hair trigger circumstance all putting the PC's at the center of its Egyptian style setting material.
There is a ton of new monsters, set pieces and more right between the pages of this one. It really is a well done but upper level adventure & used well can prepel characters into a whole other realm of character back story and development. But those playing this one are going to be changed forever by what happens out in the sands in the Catacombs of Death. Take a look and download this one

Using Catacombs Of Death
 For Your Old School Campaigns 
Using Catacombs of Death for your Old School Retroclones is going to require a bit more of a challenge because of the very nature of the module, this isn't a sandbox or kitchen sink adventure but one that requires some preparation and careful thought by the DM.
Because of the very nature of its story and plot a careful working by the DM is needed. A nice idea is to work the events from the back drop into the PC's career early into a campaign and then use Catacombs as a send off or mid range adventure for upper level characters.
That being said there are other ways of dealing with the circumstances surrounding the adventure.

Another idea is to have another high level  rival party hook up with the adventurers and one of their number set the plot and events of Catacombs of Death into motion. This adventure is interesting, complex, and full of adventure and surprises. There are a myriad of uses for it but for a game such as Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea some real solid adjustments of level and a handful of solid conversion work needs to be done by the DM. The material will fit a such a game but it would require some work on the DM's part.
This is a module well worth the time, energy, and circumstance to take a look at and its very well done. For a free module is blurs the line once again between fan and pro. 

1d10 Magical Chalice Table For The Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea rpg System and Your Old School Systems

There are treasures of ancient workmanship and strange aspect which are the focus of adoration for dread rites and forbidden magics. They are the source of extraordinary power and the focus for dangerous cults, many have been left behind after the power of their gods fades and yet legends and myths grow around them creating the central focus for adventures.
Heroes, rogues, and adventurers seek their power, wizards lust for mystic might, and indeed empires are forged from the center of their droughts. 

Photo by Kglavin

1d10 Random Magical Chalice Table 

1. Alkandut - From Old Earth, this chalice has been known as king maker, the widow cup, and by many names from throughout time. The chalice magically reads the heart and soul of its drinker after wine is poured into its cup. The user gains 1d4 points to attributes and +2 to wisdom. The cup may once a month grant a cure light wounds spell and it has a 30% chance of sealing a dimensional breech. The cup will do 3d6 points of damage per round to those not of lawful good alignment who handle it. An ancient elemental spirit of fertility dwells within its metal confines. 
2. Angorugu - The Cup of The Stars, this chalice is the focus for several astrological gods and grants its user the ablity to see beyond and open the doors between planes. The chalice may grant this if spring water from a lower valley spring is poured within it. It may open or seal  a dimensional door once per day. Used more then once a day and the power of the chalice will rip the user apart as the cup's spirit takes offense and 4d6 points of damage pours into the fool. 
3. Bakaulo- The Blood Cup, this chalice magically fills with the blood of a lesser saint Bakaulo who quested for this chalice back in the days of Old Earth. The chalice grants its owner the ability to heal land and people of wounds of the soul allowing a barren land to yield 1d4 seasonal harvests and healthy infant mortality rates. It may also grant a vision every 1d6 weeks. 
4. Cagitua- The Emperor's Bane, this chalice has a long and bloody history of royal linage until it found its way to its current holding place. The chalice allows one to hear the thoughts and wishes of the people he rules. It also grants one a vision from beyond, a communion with the ruler's god once per month. There is a blemish upon the cup, for those who use it have a 2% chance of attracting fate and for someone close to the owner to betray and try to murder the owner of the cup for possession of it. And so it goes 
5. Laulan -The Hunter's Moon, this cup allows its owner to assume the guise and shape of a hunter or animal of prey once per moon after blood of the kill is poured into it. The owner of this cup will have incredible insight into the nature and mind of animals as well as the powers that watch over them. The owner must dedicate every third hunt to the spirits of the cup or bad luck is sure to follow. The owner will find 1d6 extra kills per month from the cup's influence and other tribes of hunters will look to the owner for wisdom and insight. 
6. Drotundu - This chalice was the center of worship for a group of knights from Old Earth who sought a refuge for their wives and families. The chalice's spirit  is able to provide insights, guidance, and wisdom in the form of dreams and illusions every new moon but the owner of the chalice must engage in prayer and rites of the chalice every day. They must forgo marriage and procreation for the rest of their lives. The spirit demands fidelity in its owners for the good of the familial lines and once every 1d8 years calls these families together to observe the travels it has made. The cup is now lost. 
7. Fangoru - The cup of ancient kings, this cup has passed from ruler to ruler across the centuries and all of their spirits reside within. Those who drink from this cup may experience their wisdom, memories, and lives within the visions the chalice grants. The chalice will also grant 1d10 extra years of life to the owner and insure that the owner is fertile and gains an heir. But there are those who whisper that it is the chalice's children who rule in the stead of the owner and a blood curse follows in its wake. 
8. Otundur -This chalice once belonged to a cult of the moon goddess Otundur but it was stolen by a necrotic cult who twisted its spirit and now serves dark forces. The cup will grant undeath to those who taste of its dark icor as the cup magically fills each new moon. The thing may create one vampire or 1d20 zombies under the command of the spirit's cup. The rites of this chalice are far too awful to writ down here. Once per new moon, the chalice may summon a minor demon of low aspect who will demand a blood sacrifice and serve the owner of the cup. Those who handle the cup will be tainted by it. And will become of low undeath aspect after death. 
9. Hagodrimanguna - This cup will change and liquid poured into it to pure spring water. The cup of prophecy as it is known has yet to have its powers unlocked and waits its rightful owner. It has been known in the past to heal, grant wishes, and destroy armies with its might. But for now it sleeps in legend and has been lost to the mists of time. 
10. The Vangorca - This cup belongs to a long tradition of blood sacrifice and war, the cup of warriors demands the blood of the vanquished. It grants its owner a temporary increase of 1d6 points for stats but lasts as long as the battle. Once over the cup will offer new visions of conquest and war but the spirit of the cup always demands this,eternally. The cup may create 1d8 berserk from ordinary men by causing them to be possessed by the dark warrior guardian spirits who serve the cup. There is a legacy of blood and thunder associated with this cup.  

1d10 Weird & Minor Ancient Amulets Table For Astonishing Swordsmen And Sorcerers of Hyperborea or Your Old School Swords and Sorcery Campaigns

Photo by Outisnn

Something glints in the darkness of  the torchlight, a gold or bronze piece hidden for hundreds of years comes into the light. Ancient treasures worth a small fortune tempt adventurers to risk all for the reward of some incredible treasure. Here then are a small list of 1d10 minor bits of magic which can make men and women green with envy or even murder.

1d10 Weird & Minor Ancient Amulets Table 

1. A  aurichalcum amulet sacred to the ancient tiger diet Hmu protector of children and mothers. The amulet allows its wearer to have low light vision twice per day and eyes of the eagle as per the spell.The wearer can blink once a day and instinctively knows the where about of small children in their charge. 
2. The Amulet of Ru, this amulet is twisted throughout with weird and strange alloyed wire fashioned into the web of a spider. Ru is an ancient spider god, a protector of hearth and home. Once per day the owner may spider climb, has the ability cast a web spell once a week, and may use a shocking grasp every new moon. The amulets were used by body guards of certain rich and royal families. 
3. Amulet of Hadrin - This amulet has been made from an ancient old Earth coin from the time of Hadrin. This amulet commemorates the Sons of Hadrin who safely escaped one of Old Earth's deluges, once per new moon the owner may call upon the spirit of the Emperor to impart some ancient bit of wisdom or grant a dream of prophecy of some important event. The activation of the amulet requires a wisdom roll for the dream of prophecy to occur.
4. Amulet of the Beetle god - This amulet has been created from the ancient shell of a giant assassin beetle shell. The thing allows the owner to peer into the nether reaches of the insect's dream realms allowing the owner to access ancient power. 
   The owner may twice per week use a flesh to stone like power as per the spell. The owner may also have the sense of taste of the insect things allowing an acute sense of touch and taste. The amulet will also grant infravision. But these powers come with a price. The owner will smell as fresh churned beetle rolling in human dung each time a power is used.  -5 on all Charisma based rolled. 
5. Amulet of The Web - This amulet has been made from a strand of web of the ancient spider goddess who spins her web between the planes of existence. No web spell or spider bite will affect the user. Praying to the goddess of the web will instantly teleport the owner into the  presence of the goddess who will eat and dine upon the soul of the owner. 
6. Amulet of Ancient Wasting - This amulet allows the owner to sleep for a thousand years as if it was only a day. The owner will think its another amulet and the effect is almost instant only by using pearl of healing or the kiss of a true love can the owner awaken. 
7. Amulet of the Cursed - This amulet allows the owner to capture a curse within the Orichalcum designed cage of the amulet. After twelve such curses the cage of the amulet turns to gold and the amulet must be cast into the sea. Failure to do so releases all of the curses upon the owner all at once. The amulet may also cast a cure light wounds once per week but they must also wash the amulet after this use in a sacred pool. 
8. Amulet of Cthulhu - This amulet allows the owner to detect the presence of the tentacled god and his minions. The owner may  drive back the followers of the god once per week but there is a 20% each time that this ability is used of the amulet breaking. 
9. Amulet of Saturn - This amulet has been created in the winds of ancient Saturn and is forged from aurichalcum from the ancient wind tossed temple structure of the mad ones. The amulet allows the owner to pull the thoughts from entities of the Outer Darkness once per week. The owner may create a sign of insanity and despair once per month. There are those who hunt these amulets to destroy them citing their connection to an ancient cult of assassins and murderers who killed with the rising of Saturn basking in the madness of the planet. 
10. Amulet of the Ancient Mother - This amulet is dedicated to the ancient mother goddess of mankind and it allows the wearer to know if a child will be healthy and in good health for its lifetime. The amulet wearer can detect the fertility of male or female friends and relatives and the best places to plant crops. Every twelve months the amulet must be bathed in the blood of a specially slaughtered ox or cow. 

1d10 Minor Hoards Table for The Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea Rpg And Your Old School Sword and Sorcery Campaigns

There are ancient and time worn crypts where forgotten treasures and halls of antiques lay far underground. Here then is a quick list of random hoards of more then mere gold coins in the long forgotten dark and queer underground worlds where the dead and desperate departed have left forgotten loot and strange legacies in the dark. 

1d10 Minor Hoards Table 

1. 1d20X100 Ancient bronze and gold covered prehistoric feline skulls of a dangerous & predatory cat thing. The eyes of these items glow with an inner fox fire of rime and fungus in the dark. 
2. 300 pounds of ivory taken from the most aggressive and dangerous mammoths of some long forgotten valley. The ivory is marked with weird and wild symbols of lost barbarian tribes. 
3.  100 ancient spears made from long forgotten fossilized woods. The spears bronze and iron heads are marked with weird and strange symbols on the heads. 
4. 600 iron ingots of a rare and pure type, these are prized by weapon smiths and sword makers. 
5. 100 tightly packed jars of rare Earth soils,elements, and powders from far off and mysterious lands. The jars are sealed with a black wax and marked with protective wards against evil spirits. 
6. 300 pounds of semi precious stones sealed in cut crystal jars each marked with ancient symbols 
7. 600 skulls of some ancient race of giants heads adorned with copper crowns and iron scepters. The crown glow in the darkness. 
8. A pile of ancient gold axes now fused by age and time. These were never meant for human hands. The gold is a mix of bronze and gold. 
9. A gigantic pile of 10000 copper buttons each with a Yellow Sign on them, the signs seem to swim and ungulate in the torch light. 
10. 600 yellow and red gold bells that will sound if even lightly touched. These things were used in ancient forbidden rites to summon long dead and dreaming demons.

AFS Magazine Issue #6 is released and ready for order!

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I've been a fan of AFS magazine for a while now and the latest issue has a ton of old school, retro clone and some solid AS&SH goodness packed within this issue. And its available for ordering! AFS  continues to chart its own course in the OSR and do it with style.
 This issue contains three adventures! Two for AS&SH and one for B/X as well 

Here are the details on 

AFS Magazine Issue #6 is released! and available for purchase. It will ship within the next 2 weeks. It contains a color cardstock cover, is over 50 pages long and will be sent by parcel mail. Each copy costs $10.00 USA Domestic includes shipping, $12.00 Canada includes shipping, $15.75 International includes shipping. It includes old school gaming adventures, tables, a short fiction piece and articles with a nod to the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, Robert E Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith.

AFS 6 includes three full length adventures! – two written for the Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea ruleset and one written for B/X .

Paypal is accepted, just go to http://www.paypal.com and my paypal is srmoberly at yahoo.com. Please ensure the address paypal has on file for you is accurate. As is usual - the first 20 copies sold will be numbered and signed.

Thanks for your support!

AFS Magazine #6   - Table of Contents

Adventure – Wrath of the Sea God Khulk-Xu by the Scribe Lestrade

New Monster -  Scorpioids of Xin-  By Michael Haskell

Adventure – Beyond the Ice Fall by Joseph D. Salvador

Fiction – Two Military Executions by Ambrose Bierce (1906)

Table – Celestial Phenomena  by Benjamin Ball

NPC spotlight - Ulva  Esquimaux (Eskimo) NPC of the Purloiner class from the Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers game by the Scribe Lestrade (also includes a re-print of the Purloiner class for AS&SH by Jeffrey Talanian & Colin Chapman)

Adventure – Haunted Ruins of Castle Mold-a-Vay for character levels 3-6 written for B/X by Scalydemon, Rflowers, Fingolwyn, Distorted Humor, & Darkgrey 

Variant Class – The Huntsman written for the Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea ruleset by Jeffrey Talanian

Brand New 1d10 Random Minor Treasures Table For Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea

There are a number of artifacts that have been uncovered at the edges of Hyperborea that speak of the level of sophistication of magical workings of Atlantis and lost Hyperborean kingdoms. Many of these items have ancient curses, magical workings, and incredible powers that tell of the heights that the ancient Hyperboreans reached in their workings.
These items often carry with them strange side effects and weird curses that echo through the ages. The Green Death  often left these items in odd places and with very little to speak of their original functions but their magical power remains.

1d10 Random Minor Treasures Table 

1. Magical crown of fey gold and  silver wire with incredibly detailed leaves & branches. The piece enables the owner infravision up 250' feet. The piece is etched with unknown runes and grants the owner visions of celestial bodies within the Outer Darkness. Worth 300 gold pieces. 
2. Solid Gold harp that plays seven ancient & unknown songs. The thing summons 1d8  demonic mites and Outer Darkness minor spawn. These little horrors will attack the owner of the harp. Worth 200 gold pieces but this cursed item will bound itself to the owner. 
3. A  jade demonic head's statue that will summon a succubus when held under the third moon's light. The demonic being will try to seduce the owner and murder him as a sacrifice to her Outer Darkness masters. The head will grant its owner a demonic boon should the owner survive the machinations of the succubus. 
4. A pewter  goblet encrusted with semi precious stones that will fill with one of the prime elemental elements within a round. The goblet will enable its owner to commune with an elemental prince once a week. It will burn its owner for 2d6 points of damage if mishandled. Worth 200 gold pieces 
5. A large diamond filled with a strange smoky alien Lovecraftian essence that will suck dry the soul of its owner after allowing its owner to use 1d6 minor cantrips and 1st level wizard spells before the new moon. Worth 1600  gold pieces. 
6. Green Glass prism which glows with 1d6 alien landscapes and occasionally shows a vision of a possible future. The thing is actually the prison for a minor alien elemental demon. Worth 200 gold piece to the right collector. The owner's eyes glow green when using the prism, there may also be 1d6 other minor powers of this object. 
7. Fine quality telescope like instrument with cut diamond lenses, this strange instruments will show limited visions of the surface of Saturn and its moons. Worth 1300 gold pieces to the right wizard or collector. 
8. A strange chess set like game that has random unknown 1d20 Lovecraftian god pieces and a metal playing board. The whole arrangement will show these figures and a stylized Hyperborean landscape when arranged. The pieces will move of their own accord depending upon the trepidations of the entities represented upon Hyperborea. The owner can determine the machinations of these horrors by their movements ten days ahead of these events. The horrors may be aware of the owner though if this item is used to often. Worth 2000 gold pieces to the right cult or 400 gold pieces normally. 
9. An enchanted dinosaur bone flute that in the hands of a bard allows the storyteller to dream in the minds of the ancient reptile lords of Hyperborea. The bard may be lost within these ancient king's minds for 1d10 days and may magically take on a sinister reptilian aspect. Otherwise this is an ordinary if somewhat large finely made bone flute worked over with incredibly intricate carvings. The piece is worth an easy 500 gold pieces and a 1000 to the right Eastern Hyperborean bardic guild. There may be and additional 1d4 minor powers of this instrument. 
10. Large chunk of raw meteorite diamond from the heart of a cursed star that allows the owner to access the negative energies of the Outer Darkness and have 1d4 minor necrotic powers. There is a 50% chance of an Ancient Earth lich king trying to possess the owner. Worth an easy 200 gold pieces or more. Evil aligned NPC's will try to kill the owner for possession of this item. They will not know why but the compulsion will be very strong. 

1d10 Random Ancient Antiquities From The Low Lands Table For The Astonishing Swordsmen And Sorcerers Of Hyperborea Rpg System

After the Green Death swept the lands of the lower valleys of Hyperborea clean with a swath of plague, death, and pestilence only recently have ancient artifacts and useful items been uncovered by the winds and the rains that rage across the valleys.
Some of these ancient pieces of wonder and forbidden knowledge still retain their magic and blessings of the old times. Below are a selection of these items for the edification and torment of your PC's. 






1d10 Random Ancient Antiquities From The Low Lands Table

1. A silver torc man's bracelet that is writ with the curses and blessings of the gods of battle. The torc allows one to see with the eyes of an eagle once per day and to call down a battle rage when engaged in combat with enemies. The torc also allows one a +1 in battle as the ancient gods hunger for blood and thunder. The engravings belong to a Hyperborean general's household long extinct. 
2. A Box of Disposal - This box with rounded corners has within itself a zone of nothingness that will tear apart anything placed within its confines. It will do 1d4 points of damage per round to anything placed within its confines. The box will explode for 2d8 points of damage if tampered with or handled roughly. Anyone within a 50 foot zone of this thing must make a Dex check or be sucked into a deadly region of the Outer Darkness. 
3. A mummified falcon with coffin, this was once a necromancer's familiar and the perverted thing knows many secrets of ancient horror. It will fly off and escape at the nearest opportunity when it reanimates. It will play at being a dumb animal but in actuality is possessed by a minor demon of malevolence and horror. 
4. A set of nine pieces of silver cutlery engraved with scenes from the ancient Hyperborean world. They seem to animate when looked at with a side long glance. 
5. The gold and silver wedding clasp of some long forgotten household that a lonely ghost still follows but it knows not why. The thing is worth a 100 gold pieces at best. 
6. A small boot knife engraved with fire glyphs and fine etchings. A small piece of jade decorates the hilt. A clan blade to a long dead clan perhaps or perhaps not. 
7. A small silver and gold child's crown engraved with a spell of protection and a minor one of healing. The crown is wreathed by an air of sadness. 
8. 6 Alien and demonic humanoid  looking game pieces made of lead and silver that are very nicely detailed that glow green and red in the moon light. 
9. A small box of silver and gold wreathed with incredibly intricate wire work that contains a silvery powder. The thing has an air of magic and sorcery about it. Worth 20 gold pieces to the right collector. 
10. A small golden cask of incredible workmanship that seems almost alive from which comes a series of knocking sounds! 

1d10 Random Encounters With Lovecraftian Horrors From The Outer Darkness Table For The Astonishing Swordsmen And Sorcerers Of Hyperborea Rpg System

On the outer edges of Hyperborea  where the darkness washes against the edge of the world dwell things that should not be that often come to sup upon the marrow of the peoples of world. Here are a small selection of encounters with some of these minor dwellers in the darkness that can be devil your PC's. 

1d10 Encounters With Lovecraftian Horrors From The Outer Darkness Table

1. A collection ancient and old ghostly souls left over from the Green Death that have fused together in one massive ectoplasmic ball of pulsing undeath horror and nastiness ready to suck the souls from any they come across. There are 1d20 ghosts within this cloud of horror. 
2. A strange jelly like substance that belongs to some other older order of beings that once fed upon the marrow of Old Earth and now hungers after the life force of humanity. Use the stats for a Shaggoth for this horror. There are 1d8 pieces of raw undigested metal if this thing should be killed. There is a 10% chance of it having a random artifact or piece of gold or silver mixed in with the material. 
3. The animated collection of animal and human organs turned inside out and melded together with demonic energy from the Outer Darkness. This thing is a giant ball of flesh and ancient memories. These it uses to hunt down its old haunts for new flesh and souls. 
4. This ancient shadow is on the hunt for a brand new person to possess and take on their form for great evil in the world. The thing is a minor demon with delusions of insanity and dreams of horror that it wishes to share. Use the stats for a minor demon. 
5. This strange collection of bone and decayed flesh is about the size of a small ox and seeks a sorcerer to serve but it lacks any proper form and seeks to create itself from the dreams and nightmares of others. Once per day it may teleport without error into a new location. The thing is infected with a dangerous form of the Red Death. 
6. This is a weird collection of technological horror that is on the hunt for souls to fuel its return to the Outer Darkness. It wishes to exchange a minor artifact for a brand new sacrifice. The thing will sing its replies in ancient and forbidden verses. 
7. A weird pulsing glowing unreal colour from beyond space time seeks out an innocent to cause the ancient soul of a long dead Hyperborean sorcerer to be reborn into a new body. The thing will kill anyone who gets in its way. The same stats as a Colour from Outer Space. 
8. A weird glowing sword is actually the imprisoned form of a pit fiend. This thing seeks a worthy hand to wield it but in fact is a prince of lies and seeks a sacrifice for its dark obscene master and will lie about its entire history. 
9. A demonic strange mount with a wounded ancient demonic warrior seeks to pass on its curse to a worthy human so that he or she may fight in its stead at the last battle place. 
10. A wounded spawn of Cthulhu will land and become a toxic waste hazard of vileness and insanity where its blood spreads along with its soul warping madness that surrounds the thing. Others of its kind are hunting it right now. 
    

1d10 Random Ancient Lost Treasures Table For Your Old School Sword and Sorcery Campaigns Or The Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers Of Hyperborea Rpg System

There are ancient items which frequently surface within the more remote areas of Ancient Earth and Hyperborea. These items have often times survived catastrophic events and passed into the realm of local myth and legend. Some have passed down through the ages only to have been lost in the last sweeping cycle of the Green Death plague. Other artifacts have come from ancient and lost epochs of forgotten history, these can sometimes have troubled or down right dangerous legacies attached with them. Below are a small selection of the 'treasures' which have been rumored to be uncovered by adventurers over the last couple of  centuries. 

1d10 Random Ancient Lost Treasures Table

1. An ancient Atlantian mirror with a special silver backing. The mirror has an ancient sky demon bound within its confines that will show the depths of the Outer Darkness, the inner workings of a person's soul and fondest desires, and the elemental planes as well. Upon command the mirror may capture within its confines a minor air element to do the bidding of the owner of the mirror. The demon however is a flippant and very dangerous creature often twisting the mirror's visage into sanity shattering location images. 
2. A set of eight silver etched steel knives which will cut the soul of a mortal into the individual pieces of shadow and light allowing a wizard to examine and heal the more fundamental damages that one has suffered at the hands of certain soul eating and swallowing demons and undead. These knives are etched with Lumerian instructions for their use upon their blades. The knives can also burn with an unholy fire for 1d4 points of damage per day. They will burn the types of creatures they were created to deal with. 
3. A small coffin shaped box containing an ancient Lumerian mechanism that can trap and hold a minor demon. The thing will be forced to tell the truth about eight matters of magic and sorcery after which the mechanism will exile the little horror back to the Outer Darkness. Over the centuries these mechanisms attract more dangerous demons to the small bits of soul bait that these things use. There is a 20% chance of an incubus or similar demon is locked within this thing when found. It will be very angry and pissed off. It will either want to be bought off or attack with full fury. 
4. A small crystal that holds thirty three perfectly preserved 2nd level clerical or magical spells within them. These things were often used by wizards of forgotten ages to record spell books, and commentary on day to day matters in ancient tongues. There is a 20% chance of some ancient secret or tid bit of forgotten or forbidden lore being recorded within these crystals. Often these crystals will be lost in with 1d100 pieces of random gold coinage and may be by passed completely. 
5. An ancient book made from some alien metal, this book details certain esoteric ancient formula related to engineering feats not seen my centuries. These treatises will contain 1d20 random spells that will relate to engineering and warfare. These books will also have plans for some of the more esoteric pieces of Atlantian high technology. 
6. This ancient staff is actually a communications device used for contacting forbidden ancient demonic entities of the Outer Darkness. These things will be starved for telepathic contact but this does not make these things any less dangerous. While they will communicate with the staff's owner and there a 20% chance of something trying to possess the PC owner once per week. These staff's contain a single demonic crystal that will try to corrupt a PC. 
7. A cursed demon slaying sword that is able to heal the sick once per day but is actually an ancient weapon belonging to a demon of lust and depravity. The owner will hear and detect any nearby demonic creatures but he can never shut them out from his or her's mind. The sword is also a +2 weapon but may turn on its own as well. 
8. A copper coloured torc that enables the user to use telepathy once per day as the spell and enables the owner to see into the Otherworld as well upon command. The torc allows one to protect mind and body against any intrusions. The thing glows in the presence of hyena men as well. 
9. A small stature of some lost or ancient god that enables the owner to cross worlds once per day. The thing is actually a demon and seeks the owner to claim their souls. The piece also allows the owner to rebuke any undead that they come across. 
10. A statue of Cthhlu that allows one to know the location of any minor Lovecraftian monsters and allows one to know their various tongues or dialects. This thing once belonged to a ghoul cult and as a result the owner will begin to take on the minor characteristics of a lesser ghoul. Charisma and intelligence will be at -1 but the owner will know the language and dark tongue of the undead. 

1d10 Random Minor Treasures From The Hoard Of The Vampire Kings Table For The Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers Of Hyperborea Rpg System

'Know ye now that in ancient times when the Green Death came down from the North, the ancient kings of undeath and splendor watched in horror as their subjects turned to dust before their very eyes. They secreted themselves away under the Earth and slumber still. Their power and magic await the coming of the moons of Hyperborea when the stars are right again and demon winds howl for the blood of the cosmos. Beware oh man their coming by tooth, fang, and claw. For what was theirs shall be again & your blood shall be their life.'
- From The  Chronicles of Qalos The Wanderer -



1d10 Random Minor Treasures From The Hoard Of The Vampire Kings Table 

1. An ancient jade and silver sacrificial  knife enchanted to glow with the strength of the blood of the victim. The edge is shod with silver and enchanted razor sharp. There are Atlantian demon bats worked into the artwork on the handle. Those handling this blade will taste copper like metallic bits upon their tongue. +1 knife 
2. A strange blood red jewel about the size of a human fist that beats with its own internal fire. There is a strange bat demon trapped within its confines, the hell thing can't escape but will teach and as well as sanity shattering spells to the owner. It will whisper them in dreams and nightmares. 
3. This weird sword is edged with swirling ruins and glyphs of ancient Old Earth. It sings its ancient owners history even as it draws blood from its victims. A +1 sword of sharpness known as Blood Teller. It seeks its original vampiric lord to once again be held in its maker's claws. It tells tales of violence and ancient forbidden gods in whispered dreams. 
4. This cup is made from the skull and helm of an ancient Roman general of Old Earth. When filled with fresh blood it will create a restorative 'cure light wounds' potion within. But the stuff reeks of old battles and decayed flesh even as it cures. 
5. A convex lens made from the eye of some long forgotten demonic creature that has been slain by the ancient kings. This thing will show scenes of old glories and ancient battles of far away planes. The thing will want to lodge itself within the skull of the living and is cursed with the powers of the undead.  Once per day the eye may summon a giant bat for the owner to ride. They will be turned into a minor mindless undead zombie within 1d8 months of owning the eye.
6. A copper plate etched with the ruins and glyphs of kings long forgotten by Hyperborea. This plate enables one to commune with the powers of the Abyss especially Orcus himself. Once per day the owner may summon 1d8 insect headed ghouls who will serve the owner. But there is a demand of blood which the plate will accept and devour with a wet, red sound. The plate must have its sacrifice or demons will come to take the fool away to the Abyss. 
7. This ancient silver and gold rod has the most ancient writings across its surface of the Kings of the Night. The owner may summon a pack of demonic hounds once per week but must master them lest they try to tear him apart. A charisma roll is needed to bring these horrors to heel each time these savage curs are summoned. 
8.  This is the book of ten thousand damned, it contains on copper the contents for ten thousand souls. It is an ancient demonic contract. The thing can be used to summon 1d30 vampiric specters from beyond the Outer Darkness to make prophetic songs of love and damnation. The owner may cast a mass charm on an audience when this item is within his hands but he must pay in a price of blood and warfare. 
9. A solid metal dagger of pitted meteor metal forged from a single piece of a star of the damned. This knife may be used to summon a shade of the ancient kings of the Outer Darkness whose appetites will consume a single soul once per new moon. Their ancient rites will enter into the owner's mind when he first picks up this dagger and a single drop of blood falls on the blade. 
10. A carved soap stone doll of a child, this thing is actually a spawn of the old gods in disguise. It will attach itself to one it chooses and make obscene spells known to the owner so that its brothers and sisters might be let loose from beyond the vale of time and space. 

1d10 Minor Treasures Of The Ancient Barbarian Kings Table For Your Old School Campaigns

From down below the barrows and the tombs ancient warriors and kings come a plethora of minor treasures that show up in hoards and as the spoils of war across the planes. Who were these ancients now long turned to dust in the far past? Who can say but their legacy and magics are still potent.

1d10  Random Minor Treasures Of
The Ancient  Barbarian Kings Table

1. The Golden Torc Of Beth Mortha - This torc protects against the curses and arrows of misfortune and danger. The torc will will vibrate when danger approaches within 200 yards of the wearer. The magic of the torc gives the user insight into the unseen world and once per day grants the wearer a vision of the world beyond. The user may see invisible things and beings around him. This ability is fickle and its magic may appear at the DM's discretion.
2. The Gold Feather Of Shea - This metal feather once belonged to a long forgotten warrior priest. It grants its user the ability of +1 damage to any ordinary arrow, the magic of the feather runs through the flesh of the user. They will develop sensitive ears and be attuned to the wind's direction. Once per new moon the feather can act as a compass for the user and point the direct of the best game. 
3. The Medallion Of Clan Ferro - This clan symbol of some long forgotten and extinct clan of warriors grants +2 to the Charisma of the user. They will have the silver tongue that this clan was renowned for. But the user will crave to know legends and forbidden secrets, the medallion may call upon myths and legends from previous owners when the owner visits an adventure's location. The user may also be compelled to seek out legendary treasures. 
4. The Golden Leaves Of Autumns Past - These golden leaves once belonged to a curse race of fairies now long gone. These leaves will seemingly move with unseen winds from the Outer World. The user may once per day use these leaves to find doorways & gateways into 'The Otherworld'. A single leaf may be inscribed with an enchantment to open such a doorway. 
5. The Key Of Loc Shea - This finely wrought green soap stone key will allow the user to open ancient barrows of the Kings Of Loc Shea. The key will grow warm in the hand of the owner when a treasure of the Loc Shea is near by. The key will also grow cold in the user's hand when a curse or trap of the clan is nearby. Within forty a yard radius if such a trap awaits the poor fool is the range that the key has. 
6. The Egg of The Dain - This ivory and golden egg will turn as black as pitch in the presence of Undead and necromatic magic. The egg will glow with an internal fire and do 1d6 points of damage to any undead that it touches. The user will remain unharmed from its effects. Once per new moon it may cast a Cure Light Wounds spell if the spirit of the item allows it. 
7. The Golden Dagger Of Wur - This finely wrought ankle dagger allows the user to stab the shadow soul of a victim and cause incredible pain to the target unless a save vs wands is made. The victim will be at -3 on all actions until the dagger is removed from the shadow of the victim. The dagger can also damage ghosts, specters, spooks, and spirits but the blade will glow red hot during such encounters and may burn the own for 1d4 points of damage. 
8. The Chalice of Sanru - This finely jeweled chalice allows the owner to create a drought of wine from air once per day. This wine will free the imbuer from the effects of any minor mind effecting spells. The chalice may also create a dram of holy water should the 'chant of Sanru' be uttered once per week. No undead or vampire may ever hold this cup for it will burn their flesh if they should try. 
9. The Talon Of Cnjui - This finely preserved talon from some ancient monster allows the owner to strike at +2 damage any infernal creature. The Cnjui line were crusaders and warriors against such creatures and their souls can not abide such horrors and they may visit the owner in dreams to grant visions of nearby horrors. The talon is shod with a silver tip. 
10. The Hand Of The Ancient King - This preserved hand allows the owner the ability to find and pass among the ancient barrows and their horrid guardians. The owner will be recognized as one of the royal line and allowed access to the treasures of such barrows.  Once per day the hand can cast fire ball as per the spell.