Thursday, February 28, 2013

Ernie Gygax Further Fire Update


LG_fire_2_21_13


 Thank God, Ernie is alright and that he, his roommate, and his great dog survived. He owes his life to a complete stranger. I can't go to GaryCon this year except in spirit but I can try to help spread the word about this. 
You can find out the latest information about The Ernie Gygax Fire Fund on Facebook right over HERE
All credit to the reporter Jade Bolack  copyright & trade mark to The Lake Geneva Regional News. You can find the original story right HERE
 A quick update - This just in from Gygax magazine: 

Ernest “Ernie” Gary Gygax, Jr. suffered a fire which destroyed his home and all of his possessions. We are asking friends and fans to create eBay auctions, and donate the sale price to help get Ernie back on his feet.
Proceeds from any and all donations or auctions will be placed in a trust to allow Ernie to recover the personal possessions lost due to the tragedy. While his original works of his father can never be replaced, your contributions will ease the loss.
Any questions can be directed to ErniesFund@gygaxmagazine.com.
The original story can be found right HERE

February 26, 2013 | 03:26 PM
LAKE GENEVA — Ernie Gygax said he owes his life to a stranger in a white truck.

"I was in the shower," Gygax said. "I noticed the lights flickering. I thought, this would really screw up my friend's computer. All of the sudden I hear all this pounding and shouting."

His first thought was that police were at the door.

"I thought, we haven't done anything wrong," Gygax said. "I couldn't see anything out the window, so I open up the front door. This guy starts screaming at me. Fire! Fire!"

Sunday morning, Feb. 17, Gygax's apartment and the State Farm Insurance office beneath it burned from an electrical fire. Gygax is the son of Dungeons and Dragons creator the late Gary Gygax.

The man asked if he was alone in the apartment.

"No, I have my roommate," Gygax said. "I could see the flames on the porch. So I went up to my roommate's room. I gave him a slap and say wake up. Fire, fire."

Gygax said his roommate, Scott Felton, was in a deep sleep.

"I got Scott awake and found my dog," he said. "My dog, KC, for some reason has her feet up in the air. She knows I'm slow."

After grabbing clothes, Gygax and Felton left the burning building.

"Scott's there, kind of dazed," Gygax said. "This guy (who alerted them about the fire) is cool. He's like in charge. He calls my dog right away. My dog normally doesn't respond well to strangers. She's a service animal. She's supposed to just pay attention to me. Well, she goes right to his car, which is unheard of."

Gygax said he doesn't know much about the man who helped him, Felton and KC.

"He has this big, beautiful white truck," he said. "I think someone said it's a Ford. That's all I know. I think it's a diesel truck, based on the size. The guy is between 40 and 50 years old."

The stranger was persistent, Gygax said. "I run out with my wallet and phone and pants and shirt," he said. "I throw it in my car. I'm getting ready to go rushing back in (to the apartment) to get my coat, socks and shoes. This guy gets in the way and won't let me go back in."

After the fire department arrived, the stranger left, Gygax said.

"He was directing like he's done all this (before)," he said. "He starts talking to an officer. He makes sure everything is OK. I'm a little in shock and dazed. He brings my dog back over, and he just climbs in his truck and goes away."

Gygax said he never got a chance to thank the man.

"I would like to thank him. My family would like to thank him," he said. "I'd like to take him to dinner or something. Without him, I might have gotten out with burns, maybe. But not with my wallet, and that has made life easier now. I wouldn't have my phone, and that's my only contact with the world."

Advanced warning

"A couple weeks before the fire, I was awakened on both a Friday night and a Saturday night, sometime very late, around 3 in the morning by sparks outside my window," Gygax said. "I had my window open, and the crackling noises woke me up. I reported that to my landlady."

His landlady brought in electricians and removed most of the electrical wiring from the porch, he said.

"We had all this lighting on the porch for games nights," Gygax said. "She had that all taken out. We were left with one little bulb."

He called it a warning and a premonition.

"She started asking us to not have any grill out there," Gygax said. "That we shouldn't smoke out there anymore. We had some sort of warning, we just didn't know what was coming."

Gygax's nephew responded to the fire with the Lake Geneva Fire Department.

"He tried to save all kinds of grandpa's (Gary Gygax's) stuff," he said. "There are irreplaceable things that are gone now. I salvaged some family pictures, but a lot of game memorabilia is gone."

Because his nephew knew the layout of Gygax's apartment, he was able to direct the fire crew. Gygax said he hopes some of his possessions can be saved.

His renter's insurance will cover only part of everything lost in Sunday's fire.

"Most of my cools things were destroyed," Gygax said. "I'll get money for my computer, and it will be replaced. My two first issues of Gygax magazine are burned, gone. My value of each item is so much, and that's what I can get (from insurance). They depreciate the value, then give you half of that in cash. If you buy that item, you get the other half. If you buy something cheaper, you just get the difference in the cost."

Gygax said his insurance company places a maximum value on the game memorabilia like a "coin collection" and imposes a maximum value.

Pay it forward

While Gygax is waiting for his insurance settlement to finalize, he's sharing a hotel room with KC and Felton.

KC, Gygax's service dog, is a little "unnerved" by the change in residence, Gygax said.

"She's good, but she's very nervous and unhappy," he said. "She's basically waiting, saying when are we going home?"

Besides the insurance settlement, Gygax has the support of more than 550 Facebook fans. The Ernie Gygax Fire Relief page was created Feb. 17, the same day as the apartment fire.

A post from Feb. 21 states that a PayPal will be created for donations from fans.

Funds generated will help cover costs his renter's insurance doesn't cover, such as medications, Gygax said.

"The funds will not be at my disposal," Gygax said.

While he awaits a final settlement from his insurance, Gygax said he's helping Felton who didn't have insurance.

"He didn't have anything covered," he said. "So I'm going to take care of him. Before this, he was living with his dad and brother. He's done a million great things, but he's not focused right now. He needs a big brother for a while."

Gygax said his insurance questioned him when they learned Felton was staying with him.

"Financially, we'll be cool, we'll be even somewhere else," he said about helping his roommate out with a place to live. "It's karma. It's the right thing to do."

Gygax has already returned to role playing games.

"I played a game this last Saturday, a board game," he said. "Instead of doing insurance paperwork which I should be doing."

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Yoyo Dyne Propulsion Systems Faction For Stars Without Number


The Yoyo Dyne Propulsion System Faction For SWN 

A star spanning consortium of mercantile defense and interstellar star ship system the company has been on the bleeding edge of space drive systems for more then four hundred years.
History 
"a giant of the aerospace industry", Yoyodyne was founded by World War II veteran Clayton "Bloody" Chiclitz. The company has a large manufacturing plant in the fictional town of San Narciso, California. Starting back in the early 80's, this company produced such successful projects such as the ion drive systems used in the Hunter probes back in 1985.

 
They have been working on building a large spacecraft under the guise of a US Air Force program, the Truncheon bomber.
The Truncheon paved the way for latter day stealth technology and other experimental craft.

 From Terraforming equipment to Spike Drives and hyperspace applications. Yo Yo Dyne has been at the forefront of modern manufacturing. Where there are colony ships being deployed you'll find Yo Yo Dyne products.  The mega corporation almost seems to have a religious drive towards detail and fine engineering standards. The company rebuilt itself right after the horrors of the Atomic Wars and maintains a close relationship with the Banzai Institute to this very day.

 

The mega corporation has offices and plants as well as ship yards throughout known space. The company may call upon quite a bit of help within the "Corporate" community. They have crack research and engineering teams that they can call upon within a moment's notice almost anywhere within the universe. They're understand of hyper spacial relationships enables the firm to create star craft drives of rare and incredible engineering.
The Yoyo Dyne Propulsions System Faction 
Attributes Forces 3 Cunning 5 Wealth 6
Hit points 29 
Venture Capital /Wealth 6 Shipping Combine Wealth 4 
Hardened Personel/Forces 3 Black Mail/ Cunning 3
 Tags: Plutocratic

Get on your phone today and place an order with one of our operators

The Yoyo Dyne Propulsions Faction For SWN


 There is a 40% chance that Yo Yo Dyne will have a specific spike drive in stock or in production. The company is a leading force within the space industry and maintains thousands of  aftermarket part services for spacers. They are also one of the bleeding edge manufacturers of space drives and defense contracts.
The megacorporation moves right along with colonists to proved a full range of services to help humanity grow among the stars.
Despite urban legend there is no hidden agenda to anything that the mega corporation does. There is absolutely no truth to the fact that the company was not only present when the first of the Spike drives were tested or that they provided funding for such operations. Or that the company had anything to do with some of the first Spike drive and hyperspace engines ever manufactured.
There is absolutely no truth that the company maintains some of the first long range hyperspace saucers that are used in high risk missions. Further there is no eviendence that the company released some of the first hyper space carrier designs straight after the incidents involving several interstellar invasive species.
 Yo Yo Dyne is merely a growing excited company who only wants the very best for humanity among the stars.
 The mega corporation still maintains its head quarters in the same town; Grover's Mill, New Jersey.

1d10 Ruin of The Cosmic Ones & Random Planet Ten Finds Table For Your Old School Space Opera

File:Great Plaza - Temple II (3266797511).jpg


"This ruined out post on the outer edge of the known Terran solar system was torn away with the cosmic destruction of Planet Ten. It is only recently that the space time warp opened within the planar schism and allowed a team to complete a survey of the Earth like planetoid. The team hasn't be heard from within the last thirty days. A new survey team is assembling."  
Dr. Wengorth Institute for Xeno archaeological studies
From time to time many other finds from the Ruins of the Cosmic Ones and their role over twenty billion years ago with the conflict are still being assessed. At this time other hyper spacial cross dimensional tears have been created across the local space time continuum. A horde of cosmically powered artifacts have been seen showing up across the black markets of interstellar space. Agents must exercise extreme caution around these treasures from beyond the sphere of mankind.  Some are valued in the thousand if not millions of credits to the right buyer or collector.
File:Egyptian - Shu - Walters 481683 - Three Quarter.jpg
 Random Planet Ten  Finds Table 

  1. A statue of an unknown god carbon scorched and pitted. It has a faint radioactive signature. Creates a bubble of artificial gravity for 1d8 rounds and able to move 200 pounds. 
  2. A copper plate covered in hieroglyphs able to summon a demon of the Outer Darkness. 1d8 hit points, AC7, 1d4 acidic attack. Not controllable at all. No command word or control glyph 
  3. A ruined piece of fabric with the words Banzai stitched into it. 
  4. A strange mechanism which is actually part of a hyperspace engine and capable of generating a random teleport spell. The target will be teleported into the depths of interstellar space and die instantly leaving behind the artifact. 
  5. Portable reality generator set to level 43 and when played with will transform the PCs into their simian ancestors for 1d4 rounds. The effect will burn out the mechanism and shake up the PCs for 1d8 rounds stunning them. 
  6. A scarab like thing that is actually part of an installer nav beacon. The thing will reveal 1d3 star maps as holograms. Psionically powered and very delicate. 
  7. Small god statue that will transform itself into the likeness of whomever is looking or handling it. The thing will record the deepest desires of the target and it has millions of them including some alien. Priceless to a telepath or psychic.
  8. This piece of clay like stuff is actually a high yield carbon hyperspace engine in portable form. The thing will change the alignment of anyone handling it. They will not let it go and try to steal the nearest space craft to install the thing and leave the local system. A PC is allowed multiple saving throws to get the artifact's malevolent intelligence from his head however. 
  9. The Thing - This is a multi tool locked into one shape. Should a wisdom or intelligence roll be made in the thing's presence it will become the most valuable object the character has ever seen. This thing is actually the equivalent of a cosmic wretch. Its actually useless. Men will kill for it, nations will go to war over it, and no one will ever know all of its secrets. 
  10. This teleportation device will randomly send the PCs to an unknown world perhaps Altar IV or Carcosa or beyond. Unless a save vs death is made to avoid the teleport field. 


File:Cave Temple 3, Badami.JPG


Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Grave of the Vampire 1974 on The Dark Corner Blog


Grave of the Vampire from 1974 is the perfect over the top horror movie for your old school campaign. Thrills, chills, and bastard vampire children from beyond the grave!

All right over HERE

The Excellent free PDF Protodimension Magazine Issue #14



                                              The Excellent free PDF  Protodimension Magazine Issue #14 is available for download at:


Review coming soon on the Dark Corner blog. There is metric ton of ideas and setting details for the Dark Conspiracy game and many other great horror/sci fi games. 

Gorgon Milk's Lovecraftian Suppliment Review over at The Dark Corners Blog



 Gorgon Milk's Blog put out a free Lovecraftian PFF that covers all of the material from Dragon Magazine with some very cool anointments and I did a very fast overview of  it over at the Dark Corner Blog. Right over HERE

Monday, February 25, 2013

Baba Yaga, Devil Witch, 1973 On The Dark Corner Blog


 70's Sex, Commercial Photography, and Other Dimensional Intrusions All Right Over
HERE

Mega-Bug Gladiator Combat Mecha For Your Old School Space Opera


Bursting from the jungle undergrowth comes the Mega bugs! Mecha coming straight out of the 70's into an alien gladiatorial arena upon Carcosa today! 

The Dragon Fly 


Fly
Crew: pilot and passenger
Weight : 20 tons 

AC 8 
Hit points : 30 
Specials: Flight as per giant dragon fly, cameo coating capable of blending itself in outdoor areas as per illusionist spells.
Attacks : Bio stinger missiles 1d8 per missile including psionic homing missiles 3 mile range
holds 6 missiles,
Neutronic maniblaster beam 1d6 damage 60 yard radius 
Power plant : Bio Nuclear Drive system 200 year life span 

The Scorpion 

Spider Mecha OD&D Stats
50 tons 

 Crew :1 pilot and passenger 
AC:7 
Hit Points : 40 
Specials : Mono camouflage skin 
Attacks : 1d8 pincer attack
Mandi blaster 1d6 70 yard range
Morning Star Attack 1d8 per hit
 Morning Star Energy Power Attack 1d10  30 yards from Mecha 

Movement: As Giant Scorpion
Power plant : Bio Nuclear Drive system 200 year life span 


THE MEGA SPIDER 


MEGA SPIDER 
Crew: pilot and passenger
Weight : 40 tons 

AC 6
Hit points : 30
 Movement as Giant Spider 

Specials: Capable of scaling skyscrapers, vertical surfaces, Thermo/cameo camoflauge coating 
Attacks : Web beams 1d4 every round as the monocular webbing crushes its prey
Neutronic maniblaster beam 1d8 damage 60 yard radius
 Power Vice Fangs 1d4 per round as vital fluids are drained.
Power plant : Bio Nuclear Drive system 300 year life span 


These incredible mecha were recently uncovered upon Carcosa and have taken up their ancient deadly trade of gladiatorial combat once again. They work as mercenaries often on opposites for the pay of 1d4 artifacts and the chance to test their metal against each other once again. 



The alien insectoids that drive these mecha have been seen across the galaxy for the past couple of months in their strange bio organic armor making inquiries and dealing themselves with galactic affairs. These mecha and their drivers were rumored to have been seen on Earth during the Atomic Wars. 


The Mega Bugs are copy right and trade marked to the Kenner corporation. This is a fan homage from my childhood and this is for Entertainment purposes only. 
All information is from my sick and twisted DM's mind but the photos and such are from the Plaid Stallions site and you can view more right 
HERE
Megabug

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Project Moonbase/Cat Women of The Moon Mash up For Your Old School Space Opera

File:Project moonbase.jpg
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Colonel, I'm sending Major Moore as your co-pilot. 
Col. Briteis: Bill Moore? Oh no General, you can't! 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: And why not? 
Col. Briteis: The big lug hates me, he's jealous of me. 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Now you listen to me, 'Brighteyes'... 
Col. Briteis: "Bright-ice", if you please... 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Shut up BrightEYES, and listen to me! Major Moore is the best pilot we've got, better than you are! 
Col. Briteis: But, I don't understand why you... 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene
: PIPE DOWN! If he weighed 90 pounds instead of 180, he'd be a Colonel and a public hero and you'd still be a Captain. But you got the orbiting flight, ... 

I began mining this "classic" for a quick Stars Without Numbers one shot classic game.  This was a great collaboration between Robert Heinlein and Hollywood. The result was weird to say the least. 



Plot According Wiki: 
Set in a future 1970, the United States is considering building bases on the Moon. Colonel Briteis (Donna Martell), Major Bill Moore (Ross Ford), and Doctor Wernher (Larry Johns) are sent to orbit the Moon to survey landing sites for future lunar missions. However, Dr. Wernher is an impostor whose mission is to destroy the US's Earth-orbiting space station, which he plans to do by colliding the rocket with the station on the way back from the Moon.
While on the way out, however, Wernher inadvertently gives his identity away. In the ensuing struggle for the control of the rocket, Col. Briteis has to make an emergency landing on the Moon. With them all marooned, Dr. Wernher redeems himself by helping establish communications with Earth, although an accident results in his untimely death. In response to the unexpected turn of events, the US authorities decide to make the immobilized spaceship the core of a new moon base. To avoid a scandal, their commander, General Greene (Hayden Rorke), cajoles Major Moore into proposing to Colonel Briteis (so as not to have an unmarried male and female astronaut alone in close quarters for weeks). Briteis accepts, but requests that Major Moore be promoted toBrigadier General after they are married so that he will outrank her.

Project Moonbase Nuclear Boost Rocket 
File:Jacque Fresco - Project Moonbase Models (1953).jpg
Power:3/2
Mass:5/0
Cost:210,000
Hit Point:15
Crew:1/20
Speed:4
Armor:0
AC:8
Fittings:Spike Drive-2, Atmospheric Configuration, Extended Life Support, 6 tons of Cargo Space


USGF Space Station Dry Dock 

Power:50/8 Mass 40/1 
Hit Points: 120  Crew 20/200 
 Speed  - Armor 4 AC 9 
Weaponry : Plasma Beam (+3 to hit/3d6+1, AP10) 
Defenses: Hardened Polycermanic Overlay 
Fittings: Armory, Braker Gun Array, Lifeboats,Cargo Lighter,Ship's Locker, Workshops, Radio Telescopes, 3,000 tons of Cargo space 

 Actual Play 

The PCs are sent to a satellite dead zone on the moon to check out some unusual ruins that have recently powered up fusion reactors. The USAF sends a crew of 8  to this desolate area of the moon. The multi leveled mega dungeon ruin belonged to some long forgotten race of near men. 
 The PCs were surprised to find a fully functioning city devoid of people. The characters were surprised at the fact that there was a full atmosphere and a traces of habituation up to over 100 years ago.
The twelve level  temple complex claimed one set of lives as a giant spider munched on one PC as she was checking out some computer records.

 The players kept expecting to find The Catwomen but all they found instead were skeletons, giant spiders, and undead. 



Random Encounters Within The Catwomen's Temple City 


  1. Alien Skeleton warriors armed with swords and shield. Fight as soon as encountered. 
  2. Psychic Ghosts of the ancient past enacting terrible pagan rights of sacrifice 
  3. A skeleton of an unknown human dressed in a strange red uniform. The skeleton is slightly radioactive and has a strong tachyon pulse. There are the remains of some sort of equipment nearby but they have been smashed to bits. 
  4. A poisonous serpent like alien creature AC 5, Hit Dice 2-2,Attack Bonus +8 Damage 1d6 poison bite,Saving throw 15+ Move 40' Morale 10 No# 1d6 
  5. Ancient Construct - AC:3,HD 4, AB +6 Damage 1d8 Fist,Saving Throw 13+ Move 30' Morale 10 
  6. Psychic Illusion - Sacrificed woman dying slowly and she beckons you for help. The illusion will cause 1d8 hours to pass around you. 
  7.  Working interocitor  - This thing will try to blast you for 1d8 points of damage range 100 meters. Deranged psychic imprint runs the thing. 
  8. Nictomorph guardians Page 153 SWN rulebook guarding an ancient treasure vault with 1d4 minor artifacts. 
  9. A minor floating eye ball robot 4 hit points, badly damaged and only moving in right angles. It will repeat anything said to it. Otherwise useless. 
  10. Tyrant Moon Spider AC 4, Hit Dice 10 Attack bonus: +12/+12/+12 Damage 1d10 claws,1d12 bite, Saving Throw 10+ Move:40, Morale 12 

The PCs recovered an interocitor and almost bought it when a giant spider attacked them. They escaped and packed up and decided to nuke the place from orbit because it was the only way to be sure. 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Amazing Mr.X On The Dark Corner Blog


Murder, betrayal, and ghosts on the Dark Corner blog as well as a bit of CoC madness. Alright over HERE
 And Psychics! 

1d10 Space Alien Encounters Table For Your Old School Space Opera Campaigns





1d10 Flying Saucer Encounters Table 

  1. 1d8 Group of faceless aliens is looking to collect specimens and guess whose elected. Armed with bio stat pistols that act as heavy stunners and bio bags they're collecting as many as they can. 3 hit points Armor class 8 1d3 hit points of damage, 1d4 blasters 40 yard range 
  2. 1d20 Hivers 2 hit points AC 7 small blue insectiods with biotechnological blasters (1d4 4 shots, range 10 yards) and a bad attitude. They want your space suits, ship, and you for some unexplained agenda 
  3. 1d10 Greys with insect eyes are looking to kidnap you for some reason. The Greys are armed with neutron beamers. 3 hit points each, AC 8, 1d6 damage from beamers (20 yard range) 
  4. A gang of aliens with green skin and dressed in purple tights is out to shrink down and collect anyone they come across. The shrink rays work unless a successful save is rolled. There are eight aliens, 3 hit points each, AC 8,Blasters  Damage -1d4, 30 yard range And shrink ray. They have a 20 hit point saucer near by. 
  5. Large Grey Humanoids In Silver Space Suits - There are only five of these 6 hit point bastard but they mean business. They're armed with heavy blasters 1d6 points of damage twenty yard range and they've an AC of 7. They have a cargo hauler saucer and are collecting specimens for some reason. The saucer is 30 hit points and armed with a two blaster cannons 1d8 points of damage. 
  6. Twelve foot tall glowing alien giant appears. This 6 hit dice monster grabs and electrocutes those he captures for 1d4 points of damage. This thing doesn't respond to questions and has an AC of 7. He will disappear within 1d4 rounds. 
  7. This 4 hit point ball of glowing energy appears within your ship and proceeds to lock into all available computer systems downloading your systems entire contents. It will attack with a weird ionic pulse beam for 1d6 points of damage. Then it will disappear in puff of smoke.  
  8. An astronaut from the twentieth century appears and screams only 1d3 rounds later two silver clad grey humanoid guards appear behind him and vanishes with him. There is a trace of a transporter like device that was used. 
  9. A strange Grey octopus like monster appears wounded and bleeds a contact poison all over your decks. The thing seems in deep trouble and dies moments later. Two Grey/Green aliens arrive.The open up upon you with Zeta Beams.  2 hit dice each,AC 8, Zeta Beam Guns 1d4 damage 20 yard range, four shots each. The wounded alien is radioactive as well and does 1d3 points of damage to everyone within a thirty yard range. 
  10. 1d8 Green/Grey bruisers are aboard your ship. These 5 hit dice monsters are armed with heavy stunners and zapping anyone they come across. They have the equivlant of hill giant strength and are moving on antigrav boots. The don't speak but move very quickly to subdue anyone they come across. AC 6 and they have a transport ship nearby. 20 hit dice saucer.


File:Astronaut-EVA.jpg


Friday, February 22, 2013

Further Update For Ernie Gygax's Fire

Hey folks, Luke Gygax said it would be okay to share this. 


Greetings,


As
you have probably heard through friends, forums and facebook; Ernie suffered a terrible loss Sunday when his residence caught fire. We are very fortunate that Ernie, Scott (his roommate) and KC (Ernie's dog) were able to get out of the house without injury. Unfortunately the fire spread so quickly that they were unable to save any of their possessions. The fire, smoke and water damage destroyed almost all of the items in the house including clothing, electronics, computers, family photos and tragically his games and gaming related memorabilia. A fire is devastating under any circumstances, but in Ernie's case it is exacerbated by the fact that he is currently unable to work due to health reasons and is on a limited income. Tim Kask, Jayson Elliot and I are working on establishing a way to donate to a fund and we will put out that information through facebook and the Gygax Magazine website.

The staff at Gary Con (Chris, Dale and me) wants to do something to help as well. We will raise money to assist Ernie through the Gary Con Auction this year. We need your help to make this auction a success and get Ernie back on his feet. If you have something special that we could offer in the auction, please consider donating it to the cause. Even if you are not attending this year it would be a boon to have something mailed to us for the auction. Items that have raised a significant amount in the past have been original manuscripts, limited run or DM copies of modules, original or signed artwork/posters, VIP run private gaming sessions and rare out of print games.

I sincerely appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you in advance for your generosity. If you are able to donate anything, please email me with a description of the item so I can build a list and promote the auction.

Best Regards,

Luke Ernest Gary Gygax Jr.

The Toy Makers Magnum Opus Act One Update and Reminder


A gentle reminder of one of the various projects I'm involved with is this handsome volume of forgotten and forbidden lore. We so want to make this happen and we need your help. Go and please help make this volume of nastiness and haunting excellence a reality. 


 The Toy Makers Magnum Opus Act One -  A beautiful handmade art book of Pandoric puzzle designs illuminated with metallic foils, printed on parchment & vellum, & a cast cover.

Acts 1 & 2 completed, while Act 3's is a secret




My friend and writer/artist Eric Gross has been working on this for a very, very, long time. From the Kickstarter:

Philippe August René LeMarchand


For those unfamiliar, a Pandoric is a word I coined to describe the beautifully intricate puzzle like works of art that when solved open gateways sometimes to Heaven, sometimes Hell, sometimes there are worse alternatives. "




Pandorics pictures: The Sanguine Apotheosis, The Jeremiad Enigma, The Cilicium Pandorics, Bedlam's Conspiracy
A Pandoric is a beautifully intricate puzzle constructed from Gopher wood, Bastard Gold, Brass, Silver, Copper. and Alchemy. The meaning of a Pandoric is lost in translation from it's original Babylonian, and can mean; prison, lock, key, or all depending on it's use in context.
 There are new tales that are unfolding right now as we speak. New volumes of curious lore being unearthed at this very moment.  
Take a look into new realms of possibility and the horrors that have been uncovered. We've been waiting for you. 
You can find out more about The Kickstarter right over HERE

So get involved, show us your support, spread the word...as we are fond of saying, "find us, friend us, follow us."



Five Mirrors Of Terror Upon The Dark Corner Blog

File:Mirrors from Salona.JPG
 There are some mirrors that should remain covered and we've got a few of those over at the Dark Corner Blog. Right over HERE

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

1d10 Lovecraftian Things Left Behind Table For Your Old School Space Opera


Lovecraft, Mountains of Madness.jpg

The basin ... was filled with a sort of viscous and semi-liquescent substance, quite opaque and of a sooty color.... [T]he center swelled as if with the action of some powerful yeast [and] an uncouth amorphous head with dull and bulging eyes arose gradually on an ever-lengthening neck ... Then two arms — if one could call them arms — likewise arose inch by inch, and we saw that the thing was not ... a creature immersed in the liquid, but that the liquid itself had put forth this hideous neck and head, and [it was now forming arms] that groped toward us with tentacle-like appendages in lieu of claws or hands! ... Then the whole mass of the dark fluid began to rise [and] poured over the rim of the basin like a torrent of black quicksilver, taking as it reached the floor an undulant ophidian form which immediately developed more than a dozen short legs.
—Clark Ashton Smith, "The Tale of Satampra Zeiros"
As the Outer gods move through system after star system there are often "things" that are immical to mankind and near man alike. These things have no mention in the bowels of books like the Necronomicon or the Formless Tales. They are merely beasts whose substance is another order of unlife clinging to the underside of the ancient things and waiting at the threshold to deal with your explorers and adventurers. 

1d10 Lovecraftian Things Left Behind Table
  1. A strange insane thing of flesh, bone, and spirit that is actually an amalgam of the victims of the Outer God fused into a 3 hit point horror whose twisted acidic bearing limbs will strike for 1d4 points of damage. Its armor class if you can call it that is 9. 
  2. This jelly like substance reacts as if it has intelligence and senses. It does not an merely parodies a real life form. The stuff will level drain a victim within 1d4 rounds of feeling its way across your flesh. The substance may be boiled down as a cure for certain mythos poisons. It must be snorted up the nose for its benefits.
  3. This slightly radioactive mess clings to anything and will do 1d4 points of damage per round as it contaminates anything it comes in contact with for intensity level four radiation. Must be washed off with special herbal soaps. A very dangerous minor cancer that clings to the flesh of the Outer Gods. 
  4. This proto shaggoth like substance will fill any body orifice and crack with itself. The thing will try to drown anyone within its substance. The monster is only 2 hit points and does 2 points of damage but it is insanely clever and dangerous in the extreme. 
  5. This reddish disease like material moves of its own accord spreading Red Death and worse disease where ever it goes. Only fire will harm this 4 hit point thing of death and depravity. It likes to crawl through open windows. 
  6. The Time Waster - This 4 foot long killer bag of pus and snot is actually deluded down time and space. The stuff will eat 1d4 hours of a person't life at a clip and only three hundred pounds of sand will harm the thing. It does not have hit points only years that will be shaved off of its substance. It has 1d20 years each time its encountered. 
  7. Outer God Jelly This silver gold substance is the sweat and radioactive vileness of the Outer Gods. Left behind this 4 hit dice monster will want to feed and keep feeding until it breaks into a dozen smaller monsters. It attacks with pseudo tendrils for 1d6 points of damage. Only steel will damage its bulk. A very cunning monster it likes to hang out in pipes. Only fire harms it. 
  8. Rolling Death. This black porous jelly rolls off of certain old ones and enters its victims through the ear channel and eats brains. The hit points depend upon the number of victims. It will start will 2 hit points and attack for 1d6 points of damage with its brain warping tendrils. Only the touch of certain rare earth metals will destroy it. 
  9. A shaggoth from beyond. Double the hit points and attacks twice as fast. Very dangerous and very pissed off for being left behind. 
  10. A blob of protoplasmic horror - This 4 hit dice monster is looking for victims to take over. The thing attacks twice per round and may mind control up to 3 victims at a clip. The thing has an armor class of 7 and exists in four separate alternative universes at once.
     

The Horrors Of Spider Island On The Dark Corner Blog



Need a vacation from it all a place to let those worries and cares go? Boy have we got a location for you. Were spiders included welcome to Spider Island. Right over HERE

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Ernie Gygax Fire Update


From The Desk of Tim Kask

UPDATE: 6:00 PM EST

Ernie Gygax Fire Relief 

I just spoke with the lawyer helping Ernie, a fine chap named Jeffrey Hammerlund. The trust should be in place, the PayPal hooked up and a bank account ready to roll within 48 hours.

For those that have made offers of auction items: we are setting something up.

For those companies that have offered "proceeds" deals, we will be set up for that as well, but I will be tied up, as will be Jayson, at TotalCon. Jayson is one of those types that probably check their stuff while away; I am not. But the site and page will be checked in on.

Stuff always happens all at once...what can I say?

For all the latest don't forget to check out : 
The Gygax Magazine's Facebook page for more information. Go right over HERE 
 There already is a Facebook page that has been set up for relief efforts on Facebook right Here 

1d11 Dark Alchemist Random Encounter Table On The Dark Corner Blog

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 They hide in the hidden alley ways of this world and beyond applying their dark trade of murder, mayhem, and dark alchemy . They're waiting for you right over HERE

1d20 Space Marines And Adventurer Random Encounter Table For Your Old School Space Opera

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1d20 Space Marines And Adventurer Random Encounter Table
  1. A grizzled adventurer in power armor with a dark secret. He's a retired marine now a merc caring for his grand daughter who wants to follow in her grand father's foot steps. Willing to bargain for passage aboard a star ship for service.
  2. A marine with other vets who are swapping tales among themselves. Their space armor is dark and pitted but their leathers are solid. They tell tales of the lost temples of the Elder gods and space demons. 
  3. A marine cursed to never die is seeking a ship for passage to lift his curse from his shoulders. He will bargain with a holo map of lost star treasures.  
  4. A retired marine seeks a scientist to help him with a piece of lost treasure. He knows where there is a cache of more. There is a dark secret of murder and mayhem attached to the cache. 
  5. An ancient ship of lost legend sails the depths of space and continues to haunt this adventurer who knows its secret and is willing to share with the right party of adventurers and spacers. 
  6. A marine in space power armor has lost his platoon and is willing to bargain for passage to get back to them. There is a group of alien bounty hunters on his trail and wants to hunt him down. 
  7. A retired marine now bounty hunter is looking for adventurers to help him track down a very dangerous colonist now murder with a triple homicide on his head. The man was last seen where the PCs had their last adventure. 
  8. The ancient and alien armor you see conceals a human space marine whose turned to adventure after being locked within the confines of this ancient armor. He seeks an alchemist who can release him from it. 
  9. This adventurer is actually a smuggler of the first order who wants a ship to help him move a cargo worth 20,000 credits but United Planets officers are after him. He's got to leave now! 
  10. This grizzled looking wreck of a man is actually the survivor of three battles and is being perused by a murderous adaptioid who could be anyone. The man needs help desperately and is willing to go anywhere or do anything to escape this monster from the darkest frozen wastes of space. 
  11. This man is on the run from his ex-wife who happens to be a dangerous adventurer. She's pursued him to the Antaries Nebula and will hunt him down to Perdition itself. Willing to help with anything just to get away asap. 
  12. This marine is possessed by a planar demon whose seeking adventurers willing to help it find a lost alien temple. It tempts with dark rewards and ancient alien treasures.
  13. A retired marine has turned space captain and seeks a party to help him find his lost brother and the treasure he was seeking. There are clues left behind that point to a stellar nursery where cold young stars are born. Will you help?
  14. An ancient metamorph is seeking the love of its life. A retired space marine who shared a night of passion but whose life is now in danger. Its willing to hire a party who might help him survive the space phantom whose tracking him down to kill him. 
  15. A suit of space armor has been seen around a nearby space port recharging, hanging around. Psychics who have been around it come away very frightened. Within its frame are the remains and ghost of a marine who was murdered by his fellow adventurers. He seeks a party to help with his revenge. He's willing to give the treasure he was murdered over as payment. 
  16. A group of bandits is looking for a team of special engineering marines that made off with important geological data concerning the whereabouts of a rare strike. Willing to pay to help tracking these men down. 
  17. A group of marines is caught between a group of alien bounty hunters and pirates who are seeking the "treasure" which the marines took from them. They're trying to get back to United Planets offices with the treasure and the information. They're willing to pay for help.
  18. A group of retired marines is seeking passage back to a desert planet where they saw an alien treasure. There for the taking. They don't realize the curse that hangs over the place. 
  19. An orphan is seeking her father a retired marine whose now the captain of a star ship and leader in the mining guild.She is willing to book passage with a group of adventurers willing to help her. 
  20. This space marine/adventurer is looking for a party willing to brave the "chaos dimensions" in order to retrieve his brother whose been lost to the timeless void between the stars