Things of the Moon - James Ward's Tainted Lands & Cultclassic Eighties Movie Mixed With A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge By Davis Chenault - More Thoughts On Horror Campaigns In The Tainted Lands

  “This madness is no longer contained in the Tainted Lands. It spreads, filling the empty places around it with the dread of horror, polluting the world one small step at a time.”

"Upon the far slopes of the Turmberg Mountains, where the northern shores of Lake Vanhir lap the Plains of Cos lie the fog-enshrouded Tainted Lands. In the Days before Days hosts of dark hearted Val-Ehrakun settled here even before the sun and moon rose in the heavens. They shaped the earth, molding it with hysterical delusions. In their delirium they befouling the land, polluted the waters and staining the very air with madness. The land itself, filled with this poison became twisted, a living embodiment of the horror of nightmare. But as with all things, this too passed and the Tainted Lands became a wasteland of forgotten dreams and misspent sorcery. For eons it lay dormant, suffering under the yoke of time. But now, the shroud of its winter has given way and the Tainted Lands have come alive again. The earth groans and spits its necromantic horror in the air. Monsters, dread and foul rise from the muck of corruption and stalk the wastes. And the dreams of gods rise as nightmares from the blasted heath.

Nothing good is born in the mists of the Tainted Lands. Those who enter can survive there, some even thrive there, using the nightmare landscape to hide in. But as often as not the very magics that corrupt the lands consume them, they are twisted and driven mad, turning on all those and anything that stand before them. Still others fall into he oblivion and never rise again, their bones soaked into the earth and forgotten by history."

If we're talking horror & Castles & Crusades rpg within Jim Ward's Tainted Lands then let's talk about a module that seldom get's mentioned. And we're speaking here about Davis Chenault's A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge. And while this might not seem like a good fit for the Tainted Lands bear with me here for a moment of your time. But wait, A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge?! 

Yes, A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge because this module has a dark & sort of twisted fairy tale feel to it. A perfect module to twist & exploit for the Tainted Lands setting. The  wilderness encounters  of the A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge  adventure reads like a Grim's Fairy tales bit. A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge 's set up & setting feels like the isolated backwater village & surrouindings that adventurers of low level can cut their teeth in. 
A1 is homegrown horror taking adventurers into a world of small time 1st level adventure. And this is perfect because the region is filled with abandoned temples, ruins, & dungeons that are scattered through out the region. 


A1 could be the perfect start up for the greater horrors that don't seem as real to the backwoods & backwards appearing of the regions. And this makes it perfect for the foulness of the module. The tone of A1 feels like two folds of a campaign on the one hand there's the familar fairy tale feel. And on the other hand bits & pieces of A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge remind me of B2 Keep on the Borderland by Gary Gygax. But for moment let's look at A1 being a dark fairy tale reflection of another world. For Eighties classic horror this comes in the seldom mentioned Eighy Four classic 'In The Company of Wolves'. 

An Earth NPC  young woman transported into the tainted lands with the horrors of fairy tale weirdness edging on lycanthropy's curse is a way of extending the themses of A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge into full on campaign mode. The tainted lands mold themselves around the dreams & thoughts of a young woman while werewolves are called in by the shattered dreams of innocence. A1 backwater wilderness could be all that's needed to set the adventurers onto the path of werewolf stricken madness. This all ties back into the E.C. comics blog entry last week of 'From Out Of The Mists'.  The tainted lands turns the nightmare factor up to 'eleven' and then some. The cultclassic factor creeps in as the mists of the tainted lands weave to make the NPC's dreams into the nightmares of reality. Wrap this all with a Ray Bradbury bow and you're off to run with a ready made campaign jump point. 

From Out Of The Mists - James Ward's Tainted Lands & Ray Bradbury's Autumn People - Some Thoughts On Horror Campaigns In The Tainted Lands

 “This madness is no longer contained in the Tainted Lands. It spreads, filling the empty places around it with the dread of horror, polluting the world one small step at a time.”

"Upon the far slopes of the Turmberg Mountains, where the northern shores of Lake Vanhir lap the Plains of Cos lie the fog-enshrouded Tainted Lands. In the Days before Days hosts of dark hearted Val-Ehrakun settled here even before the sun and moon rose in the heavens. They shaped the earth, molding it with hysterical delusions. In their delirium they befouling the land, polluted the waters and staining the very air with madness. The land itself, filled with this poison became twisted, a living embodiment of the horror of nightmare. But as with all things, this too passed and the Tainted Lands became a wasteland of forgotten dreams and misspent sorcery. For eons it lay dormant, suffering under the yoke of time. But now, the shroud of its winter has given way and the Tainted Lands have come alive again. The earth groans and spits its necromantic horror in the air. Monsters, dread and foul rise from the muck of corruption and stalk the wastes. And the dreams of gods rise as nightmares from the blasted heath.

Nothing good is born in the mists of the Tainted Lands. Those who enter can survive there, some even thrive there, using the nightmare landscape to hide in. But as often as not the very magics that corrupt the lands consume them, they are twisted and driven mad, turning on all those and anything that stand before them. Still others fall into he oblivion and never rise again, their bones soaked into the earth and forgotten by history."

The September time is upon us, & my own thoughts turn back upon themselves of Autumn's past. And I begin to think of growing up with the E.C. comic book reprints which were as cheap as chips as my wife would say back in the 90's. E.C. comics got me into Ray Bradbury growing up. And it was Bradbury's EC paperback adaptation 'The Autumn People'   that finds its way into my hands every year. Now most would say that Bradbury's 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' would be the better collection  & they would be right. 'The Autumn People'  is the modern spiritual successor to Something. And it has everything to do with James M. Ward's 'Tainted Lands' campaign setting  in my mind. 

According to the Autumn People Wiki entry; "

The stories are drawn from the comic books Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, The Haunt of Fear, Crime Suspense Stories and Shock Suspense Stories. The adaptation was not credited in the original publications but was probably by Al Feldstein, the editor of the books. The artists were such EC stalwarts as Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, George Evans, Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen and Joe Orlando.

The cover painting by Frank Frazetta, himself an EC alumnus, is original to this collection." 

Right so what does this Ray Bradbury collection have to do with the 'Tainted Lands'?! A bit of everything & nothing. The everything is that as the mists of the Tainted Lands begin to touch our reality as Autumn season draws naught. Those that die by violence or black magick are drawn in by its influence & animated by its negative energies. The Tainted Lands is oft to the right of the negative material plane intersected by the plane of shadow with the Abyss on its horizon someplace. Those who die in the shadow of the tainted lands are marked by it forever more. If Ravenloft is the main heavy metal show. Then the tainted lands are the death metal after party  show for the adults. 
Murder, mayhem, etc. feed into the reality that washes through the 'Tainted Lands' and they call to the victims of such acts animating them as undead, mutants, murderers, & monsters. In other words the EC comics actions of the modern world call to the 'Tainted Lands' like rotten meat to Hell hounds. And these actions create the perfect fodder for portals into the Tainted Lands. When the Tainted Lands invade they bring Death & the undead with them! The portals open & horror begins. We'll be diving into where & how coming up. Bradbury's Autumn People touches on the true horror that the influence of these realms of horror bring to a game campaign. 

Free Old School Comic Download - EC Comics Incredible Science Fiction Issue #33 As Fodder For Your Old School Campaigns

 

Having grown up with the E.C.reprint comics & came to love Wally Wood's artwork, the great E.C. writing, plus the easy adaption for old school gaming. 

EC comics was the powerhouse of the Fifties and would have continued for many years possibly out doing Marvel in the present, but during the Comics Code came along with its sorted history and well changed the face of comics.
Out of this whole debacle came Incredible Science Fiction and according to Wiki : 
Incredible Science Fiction was a retitled version of the comic Weird Science-Fantasy, which changed its title in 1955 in order to be accepted under the Comics Code, which did not allow the use of the word "Weird". The comic changed its title with issue 30, but due to attempts to save money on postage, the numbering did not restart (and hence, issue 30 is actually the first issue of this title).

Aside from the title change, Incredible Science Fiction was also different from its predecessor because it now had to follow the tight standards of the Comics Code, which was created in 1954 to censor the controversial comics of that time. Eventually the Comics Code would spell the end of not only this comic, but all comics produced by EC. When a story in issue 33 did not meet the standards of the Code, publisher Bill Gaines and editor Al Feldstein decided to reprint the story "Judgment Day!" (originally in Weird Fantasy #18). A powerful anti-racism story, "Judgment Day!" was also rejected because Judge Charles Murphy, the Comics Code Administrator, demanded that the black astronaut be removed. Gaines refused and threatened to take the matter to the Supreme Court. The Comics Code backed down, and Gaines then printed the story without any changes.^[2] But Gaines had seen the writing on the wall, and he left the comic book industry soon after. Incredible Science Fiction #33 was the last comic book he would publish.

Incredible Science Fiction ran for four issues, boasting a number of skilled artists including Jack Davis, Wally Wood,Bernard Krigstein, Joe Orlando and Roy Krenkel. Three of its covers were done by Davis, with the final issue's cover by Wood. This comic is notable for having Jack Davis' only science fiction work for EC.^[1] Roy Krenkel also provided his only solo story for EC with issue 31's "Time to Leave".

The story "Food For Thought" from issue 32 (which featured art predominantly from Al Williamson but also Roy Krenkel as well) was awarded best artwork for an individual science fiction story at the 1972 EC Fan-Addict Convention.^[1]

Grab It Right

HERE

This was a land mark issue featuring some of the straight up talents of such greats such as Wally Wood and many more this issue also had some ground breaking science fiction echoing the times, done in the classic EC style. The Big Moment is at once a post apocalyptic story, lost world, and sc fi adventure all wrapped together and its a perfect jump off point for a time travel adventure. There are some very deep roots here to pull a party of adventurers into the deep end of the sc fi pond.

Kaliscope is just the sort of adventure where an old man's imagination might provide some vital clues for a party to perhaps not his dreams and flights of fancy but memories of times long past which might be molded into a vital part of an adventure. Classic artwork makes this story a perfect blend of science fiction comic and classic fifties themes. 

'One Way Hero' gives a possible origin for an NPC whose suffered the effects of classic 'space madness' and washed out. This tale has bits of old EC horror in the background buts punch is a bit bitter. 

Small World is a classic EC one pager, a small side line story with the bits and pieces of the EC twist to it. 

An Eye For An Eye is a classic post apocalyptic wasteland tale with classic EC sci fi artwork and the twists that make EC such a great company. This tale can easily be used as a jump off point for a Mutant Future or even a Metamorphosis Alpha 1st edition jump off point. It has all of the classic EC earmarks and can easily be used for a touch stone for a number of old school adventures points.

Some really solid background is available right over HERE

Free EC Comics Download 'Lost In Space' From Weird Space Fantasy No. Twenty Eight As Science Fantasy Campaign Fodder For The Warriors of The Red Planet Rpg Retroclone System

Ever since the Warriors of the Red Planet Rpg came out some months ago I was trying to wrack my brain to remember an old classic EC Mars SF story that appeared in Weird Science Fantasy.
Finally tonight I stumbled upon it from the classic issue 28.

This story had all of the classic Mars elements from Edgar Rice Burroughs but with the serial numbers filed off. This is a classic Colonial Mars story in the vein of Andre Norton and Leigh Brackett. All of the elements from the lost cities, to the trappings of Old Mars, to the pulp era technology, etc. are all there along with the surprise twist of an EC story like punch to the gut. The artwork here is top
 notch.


Grab It Right Over
HERE

You can read a six-page red planet comic titled “Lost in Space” inked by the late Al Williamson and published in Weird Science-Fantasy No. 28 (March/April 1955, EC Comics). 

Now as I said is to pay attention to the science fantasy elements. Given the throat like Martian frog mounts, the ruined cities in back drop and the incredibly gorgeous Martain set pieces and backdrops this is a perfect reference to get your WoRP campaign off the ground,
 

This is exactly the kind of Mars that Leigh Brackett would have had in mind, a place which has frozen Mars right in its tracks and yet life has continued on around it in a weird and romantic pace. This makes it a perfect add on for WoFRP. Given the EC twist, its going to take PC's by surprise and make them see the universe especially the local star system quite a bit different.
All in all this is a nice twist on the usual tropes of Martian stories.

Another Free Old School EC Science Fiction Classic Comic Download - "Judgment Day!" (originally in Weird Fantasy #18).

Grab it Right Over Along With A Killer Blog Article About This Classic EC Story
HERE
One of the all time calls is Judgement Day! that EC comics ran, this was an adaptation of a story by one of my favorite authors Ray Bradbury.
EC's March-April 1953 issue of Weird Fantasy includes a 7-page story titled "Judgment Day", written by Al Feldstein, drawn and inked by Joe Orlando, and colored by Marie Severin.
Everything about the comic was a flat out classic, from the biting commentary back in '53 to the wonderful artwork.
The layout and everything is classic EC and very biting social commentary from a time when social and cultural racial revolution was only another ten years away. Good science fiction not only entertains but runs the rails of society. 
This story is also a good study in cultural byways and norms for a DM doing a science fiction campaign. You want to know the inns and outs of looking a society bathed in the cultures of prejudiced and backwards thinking, this is one to look into.
I look at these stories as classics of science fiction and they're perfect fodder for a classic Traveler or X plorers campaign. The presentation, execution and more are solid EC science fiction material.
Because of my connection to England with friends and family the blog reference article was especially interesting for me to read and gives a cultural prospective as well in a much more modern and personal sense. So this isn't merely a case of reblogging and flogging the material here.
Please check this one out folks and I love the last EC twist punch to the gut panel as well. 

Free Old School Comic Download - EC Comics Incredible Science Fiction Issue #33 As Fodder For Your Old School Campaigns

EC comics was the powerhouse of the Fifties and would have continued for many years possibly out doing Marvel in the present, but during the Comics Code came along with its sorted history and well changed the face of comics.
Out of this whole debacle came Incredible Science Fiction and according to Wiki : 

Incredible Science Fiction was a retitled version of the comic Weird Science-Fantasy, which changed its title in 1955 in order to be accepted under the Comics Code, which did not allow the use of the word "Weird". The comic changed its title with issue 30, but due to attempts to save money on postage, the numbering did not restart (and hence, issue 30 is actually the first issue of this title).

Aside from the title change, Incredible Science Fiction was also different from its predecessor because it now had to follow the tight standards of the Comics Code, which was created in 1954 to censor the controversial comics of that time. Eventually the Comics Code would spell the end of not only this comic, but all comics produced by EC. When a story in issue 33 did not meet the standards of the Code, publisher Bill Gaines and editor Al Feldstein decided to reprint the story "Judgment Day!" (originally in Weird Fantasy #18). A powerful anti-racism story, "Judgment Day!" was also rejected because Judge Charles Murphy, the Comics Code Administrator, demanded that the black astronaut be removed. Gaines refused and threatened to take the matter to the Supreme Court. The Comics Code backed down, and Gaines then printed the story without any changes.^[2] But Gaines had seen the writing on the wall, and he left the comic book industry soon after. Incredible Science Fiction #33 was the last comic book he would publish.

Incredible Science Fiction ran for four issues, boasting a number of skilled artists including Jack Davis, Wally Wood,Bernard Krigstein, Joe Orlando and Roy Krenkel. Three of its covers were done by Davis, with the final issue's cover by Wood. This comic is notable for having Jack Davis' only science fiction work for EC.^[1] Roy Krenkel also provided his only solo story for EC with issue 31's "Time to Leave".

The story "Food For Thought" from issue 32 (which featured art predominantly from Al Williamson but also Roy Krenkel as well) was awarded best artwork for an individual science fiction story at the 1972 EC Fan-Addict Convention.^[1]

Grab It Right
HERE

This was a land mark issue featuring some of the straight up talents of such greats such as Wally Wood and many more this issue also had some ground breaking science fiction echoing the times, done in the classic EC style. The Big Moment is at once a post apocalyptic story, lost world, and sc fi adventure all wrapped together and its a perfect jump off point for a time travel adventure. There are some very deep roots here to pull a party of adventurers into the deep end of the sc fi pond.
Kaliscope is just the sort of adventure where an old man's imagination might provide some vital clues for a party to perhaps not his dreams and flights of fancy but memories of times long past which might be molded into a vital part of an adventure. Classic artwork makes this story a perfect blend of science fiction comic and classic fifties themes. 

'One Way Hero' gives a possible origin for an NPC whose suffered the effects of classic 'space madness' and washed out. This tale has bits of old EC horror in the background buts punch is a bit bitter. 

Small World is a classic EC one pager, a small side line story with the bits and pieces of the EC twist to it. 

An Eye For An Eye is a classic post apocalyptic wasteland tale with classic EC sci fi artwork and the twists that make EC such a great company. This tale can easily be used as a jump off point for a Mutant Future or even a Metamorphosis Alpha 1st edition jump off point. It has all of the classic EC earmarks and can easily be used for a touch stone for a number of old school adventures points.
Some really solid background is available right over HERE