Commentary On Adventure Construction For The Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea Rpg System

While everyone the other night had a fantastic time with the DCC/Crawling Under A Broken Moon game adventure they wanted to get back into a Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea Rpg game adventure night. So began a two hour conversation with my co dungeon master for an upcoming AH&SH game. So I took a look a bit of Mutant Future and Tim Snider's Thundarr The Barbarian source book for use with this upcoming event.


Given my group's predisposition toward post apocalyptic worlds the Thundarr connection was a natural progression especially given the implied post fantasy world of AS&SH Hyperborea. Realms of Crawling Chaos also from Goblinoid Games  helps lend a Lovecraftian flair to the proceedings.



My co dungeon master is looking to use this world as a fragment of the Old World and the PC's being travelers from Hyperborea. There are several options on the table and the AS&SH referee's book gives lots of options for world and adventure building.


From the organization to the preparation that goes into this sort of campaign I know what I'm in for, this book is set up for and dwells within a fine place within the Labyrinth Lord andLabyrinth Lord Advanced canon of retroclone books but the forbidden magick aspect of it puts this book squarely within the Realms of Crawling Chaos Goblinoid Games campaign style of world. I'm not displeased at all with that vibe for it fits other books like Carcosa as well making these books a sound economic investment for the DM trying to stretch every last dime like me. This makes this line up a perfect set up to create a mini campaign world and adventure setting. I was also looking into the Pay What You Want OSR PC Resource - Advanced Ape Class From Great Khan Games For Your Old School Campaign

With the release of Ape Victorious soon this game has lots of possibilities when combined with AS&AH but this is an option that will have to wait until the release of that game. For now I've got lots of OSR options to consider.




Here are ten quick off the cuff guidelines that work when I'm doing a bit of AS&SH adventure construction and creation. These are by no means that extensive or exhaustive:

1. Choose cross compatible OSR systems to save yourself time and headaches and while about 90% of retroclone systems are cross gamable  AS&SH is a good setting  solid base to hang your adventures within. 
2. Keep things moving and choose the time, place, and adventure elements that you want for your games. Try and avoid the rail roadie pit falls of traditional D&D style adventures. 
3. Pick and choose the sword and sorcery elements that you want and don't be afraid to take risks. 
4. Make sure that your players are on the same page as you are system wise, if your all on the same page it makes games go that much more smoothly. 
5. Don't be afraid to take traditional D&D elements and swap them out with AS&SH's Lovecraftian backgrounds. 
6. Take risks within reason and don't make the adventure about you, remember the PC's are the heroes and characters of legend. 
7. AS&SH is a post apocalyptic fantasy campaign with lots and lots of pulpy elements. Take full advantage of those during adventure construction.  Make Hyperborea your own setting the way you want.
8. Expect players to do the unexpected and roll with it. Adventures are constructed with guidelines and weirdness built into them. Let the players take you on the journey as much as the play. 
9. Pick and choose your areas of the game you want and don't be afraid to make it your own. Keep things moving and don't worry about things too damn much.
10. Maps are fantastic but don't be bound to any one vision keep your AS&SH games loose and they'll create themselves.