Of Humble Bundles, Castles & Crusades, & Fishmen - OSR Campaign Commentary

When it comes to getting invested in table top OSR gaming its never been about the games but about the content. Troll Lord Games, Frog God Games, and many others have put together a solid bundle & its fifth edition books. Fifth Edition Dungeons,Mazes, & Barrows don't let the name fool you. This is a great little bundle. Here's the thing its a charity called the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation & its a charity that I believe in; "For more than twenty years, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation has helped bookstore and comic book store employees and owners who encounter unexpected financial crises. The Binc Foundation works to keep book people in their homes, in their jobs, and with their families – stabilizing the brick and mortar bookstore community. The Foundation is the only 501(c)(3) in the country dedicated exclusively to strengthening the book industry by supporting the people who work in bookstores and comics shops. Since its inception, Binc has provided more than $7 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 7,800+ families. Support for the Foundation’s programs and services come from all sectors of the book industry. Imagined and built by booksellers, Binc proudly continues to be their safety net."  But there's a far more sinister reason for me grabbing this bundle & it has to do with my War 1870's campaign. I noticed that there's a very relentless sea theme running through many of these adventures from Frog God & co. 

Oh yes true gamers this all ties back into when I ran U1 - U3 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh trilogy by Dave J. Browne, Don Turnbull as a Pulp or Victorious rpg campaign last year!


Now this follows closely on the heels of Ghosts of Saltmarsh with the alternative cover  which my wife had gotten me as a birthday present last year. 

Running U1 last year there were a lot of changes:

1. The alchemist was a lich of some very nasty abilities. 
2. There were Lovecraft ties through out this series of adventures. 
3. I ran this with a stripped down & very lean version of Castles & Crusades. 
4. This was a part of an over arching plot involving an alternative version of New York City & New England on a vastly different Earth. 

All of this tied into not having the Saltmarsh series be a 'Scooby Doo' adventure & instead part an over arching & vastly dangerous conspiracy involving Tegel Manor's Romp family. The smugglers of the sea ghost were not only very real & dangerous but strongly connected to the Slavers of the classic A0 -A4 Against The Slave Lords Series of adventures.

There's wheels within wheels folks here & they go across planes prime all over the place. But what does this have to do with the appearance of the rod of Orcus in my campaigns.