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This is issue # 8 of '&' magazine which is a free old school periodical done by OSR gamers for OSR gamers. The past issues are rock solid full of lots of old school goodness and this issue is no exception. This is a monster of an issue coming in at over 100 pages and maps as well. The coverage here is on urban adventuring and its been a part of the D&D range from the beginning of campaigns going all the way back to the roots of Drgaon magazine.
So what do we get this issue?
Here are the contents :
Map 1: Justice Hall and Prison Tower, by Fingolwyn ................................................................................................................ 2
Featured Artist ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
& Musings, by Bryan Fazekas ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
D&D: The Next Generation, by Dan Rasaiah............................................................................................................................... 7
Life Swarms with Innocent Monsters, by Michael Corronet ..................................................................................................... 8
The Business of Adventuring, by Nicole Massey...................................................................................................................... 13
The Druid in Dungeons and Towns, by Lenard Lakofka ........................................................................................................ 18
Sleight of Hand with Dice and Cards, by Ian Slater ................................................................................................................. 23
The Great Eastern Woods: A Campaign Setting, by John Fredericks..................................................................................... 28
Make a Mini Castle on the Cheap, by John Fredericks............................................................................................................. 33
The Dancer PC Class, by Nicole Massey .................................................................................................................................... 35
Creature Feature I: Ecology Of the Slange-Yaotl, by Dan Rasaiah ......................................................................................... 39
Creature Feature II: Ecology of the Spore Spitter, by Bryan Fazekas ..................................................................................... 43
Friend or Foe I: Mattias' Company, by Vince Lethal ................................................................................................................ 47
Friend or Foe II: Nikolias Morghul, by Milo.............................................................................................................................. 51
Friend or Foe III: Sin-ShumuTizqar, Derro Savant, by Dan Rasaiah...................................................................................... 52
The Toybox: New Weapons V – Whips and Arrow, by Nicole Massey................................................................................. 54
Spellcaster's Paradise I: Frost Giant Shamans, by Andrew Hamilton.................................................................................... 56
Spellcaster's Paradise II: Cleric/Druid Spells, by Lenard Lakofka .......................................................................................... 63
Spellcaster's Paradise III: Fonreaver's Falcon, by Ian Slater..................................................................................................... 65
Tactical Magic: Fireball!, by Ian Slater ........................................................................................................................................ 74
Emporia & Domiciles: Brandywine House, by Nicole Massey ............................................................................................... 79
One Page Dungeon: Dungeon of Doom, by Michael Woodhead ........................................................................................... 82
Hex Crawls, by Andrew Hamilton ............................................................................................................................................. 84
For Further Reading, by Ron Redmond ..................................................................................................................................... 92
& Magazine on the Net ................................................................................................................................................................. 93
Tread Softly, by Nicole Massey.................................................................................................................................................... 94
Map 2: Temple, Tomb, and Tower, by Fingolwyn.................................................................................................................... 95
This is a stand out issue because I've been working on an urban adventure for an old school game over the last couple of days on the side. This issue stood out as a great issue for doing exactly that.
The maps in this issue hit you right in the face and start things off on the right foot.
The Life Swarms with Innocent Monsters by Michael Coronet is a great overview of using many of old school favorite monsters as elements of D&D city setting pieces, backgrounds and elements of adventures in cities. This approach could also be for near Earth style planets or exo colony setting materials in a science fiction or fantasy game as well.
The other article which came in very hand was The Business of Adventuring
The maps in this issue hit you right in the face and start things off on the right foot.
The Life Swarms with Innocent Monsters by Michael Coronet is a great overview of using many of old school favorite monsters as elements of D&D city setting pieces, backgrounds and elements of adventures in cities. This approach could also be for near Earth style planets or exo colony setting materials in a science fiction or fantasy game as well.
The other article which came in very hand was The Business of Adventuring
by Nicole Massey. This article gives the idea of using businesses as adventures unto themselves. Its an approach that while not new is certainly worth while. The ideas laid out are well thought out and entertaining. The author basically lays it all out for the DM to really go to town and fill in the deals of adventure locations within city based businesses. A good grounding article on adventure design.
TSR veteran author and designer Lenard Lakofka gives us The Druid in Dungeons and Towns. the ideas here put the druid into an urban and city environment with surprisingly nicely thought out and solidly entertain ideas in this article. Very easily incorporated into a wide variety of campaign settings as well. This is a whole different take on the AD&D druid with a newer background suited to cities and countryside settings.
Sleight of Hand with Dice and Cards by Ian Slater take a look at the use of cards and dice with PC's of a less then savory reputation as well as the games these types play. Its a well written article and I can see some of these being used in several cantinas, gambling houses, and other weird space based locations as well.
We get a complete campaign setting that fits right into your old school game of choice. The setting is different , interesting, and really looks like a blast to play in. The Great Eastern Woods: A Campaign Setting by John Fredericks is great little slight of hand trick of writing. A fun setting with lots of hooks built into it. The article makes you really want to get this one going as an adventure. It might also be used as drop in location for a dimensional traveling or a plane hopping adventure location. Lots of potential for this one as well.
We're then treated to a new PC class for AD&D first edition or an OSRIC style one. We get the Dancer. The Dancer PC Class by Nicole Massey based on original concepts by Lee Conner. This class is balanced and interesting enough. This class has lots of potential for the right style of player and DM to use. This PC is balanced and I can see lots of uses for this one. Imagine a space traveling Dancer among a party of mercs moving among the stars as entertainers. This is one idea for a space based game that occurred to me while reading this class. Nicely written and well balanced.
We're then treated to a new PC class for AD&D first edition or an OSRIC style one. We get the Dancer. The Dancer PC Class by Nicole Massey based on original concepts by Lee Conner. This class is balanced and interesting enough. This class has lots of potential for the right style of player and DM to use. This PC is balanced and I can see lots of uses for this one. Imagine a space traveling Dancer among a party of mercs moving among the stars as entertainers. This is one idea for a space based game that occurred to me while reading this class. Nicely written and well balanced.
We get two nasty and I do mean nasty creature features in this issue. I don't have to tell you that these two could pop up in a post apocalyptic setting or as nasty alien life forms. The ideas and adventure potential are numerous with both Creature Feature I:Ecology of the Slange-Yaotl by Dan Rasaiah and Creature Feature II:
Ecology of the Spore Spitter by Bryan Fazekas. Seriously use these monsters carefully they are super dangerous and very deadly.
Friend or Foe I:
Mattias' Company
by Vince Lethal gives us a very low level group of NPC adventurers with some hidden secrets and twists to them. These guys are great adventure potential for an OSR style adventure encounter. Well thought out and written.
Need a patron for your PC's or a foil to deal with some of your adventurers? Check out
Friend or Foe II: Nikolias Morghul (Old Nick). He's got a seriously interesting potential as foe or friend to be devil your party. Nicely done NPC to throw at your party.
Friend or Foe III:
Sin-ShumuTizqar, Derro Savant is perhaps one of the most interesting NPC's in this issue. You'll have to read this one yourselves to see all of the adventure potential in this one. He's to be used with lots of caution though. He's got some seriously twisted ideas and agenda's for your PC's.
The Toybox:
New Weapons V – Whips and Arrow
by Nicole Massey has lots of well researched weapons and arrows. Very nice stuff AD&D first edition and a welcome set of potential alien weapons and items to throw your PC's way or to arm your NPC's with.
Spellcaster's Paradise I:
Frost Giant Shamans
by Andrew Hamilton have the potential to be an icy pain the arse to your PC's these guys are tough, nasty, and very,very, dangerous. As NPC's you really don't want them on the wrong side of your party. They may be met on the planes and that's the problem. We've even get lots of spells for them as well.
Spellcaster's Paradise II:
Cleric/Druid Spells
by Lenard Lakofka more magic from the pe of Lenard. Here's we've got more magic to help your PC's or really cause problems. More possible magic to arm the planet dwells in your old school science fantasy campaigns.
Spellcaster's Paradise III:
Fonreaver's Falcon
by Ian Slater looks at a set of magic spells that can spy, observe, and measure the weakness of forces within an urban, country, rural, or other environments.This great set of spells also has potential to be used for space exploration and in a Spell Jammer style of setting.
Tactical Magic:
Fireball!
by Ian Slater, the tactical abuses and uses of one of the most misunderstood spells in AD&D. Well done and well thought out.
Emporia & Domiciles: Brandywine House, by Nicole Massey