OSR Campaign Commentary on Rafael Chandler's Metallic Tome: A Sourcebook for OSR Games Kickstarter

"Everything that metal bands warned us about in the Eighties has come to pass:
Pollution chokes our seas, nuclear war has destroyed our cities, and worst of all, guitars are illegal. The fanatical evangelists who run our planet created an army of robotic drones who police us with cyber-technology. Conformity is the law! Surveillance satellites monitor our every move. With no one to stop them, corporations have run wild, developing grotesque mutations that walk the streets, preying upon unsuspecting humans.
There is only one thing that can save us: METAL.!"As radioactive pegasi soar through blood-red skies, adventurers seek glory in the Suburban Wastes and the Grim  Northern Forests. Cyborg dragons bellow on top of shopping malls, and the sky is full of laser pentagrams."

So its been a work about weekend but one of the bright spots is the latest kickstarters from Rafael Chandler's Metallic Tome. The OSR setting sister book to his Teratic Tome looks awesome as Hell! This is a metal setting book right outta of the gate with Hellfire on!

PC classes like Thrash Dwarves, Black Paladins, Death Rangers, Glam Wizards, and Doom Thieves decorate this setting book like so much fodder for the metal lords  to be had! 

So yeah this is going to be a mixed OSR  setting  with all kinds of mayhem baked into it! Knowing the author as I do I can see him weaving in his usual Easter egg & back door adventure & campaign hooks into this book! So you can damn well expect Narcosa hooks & flesh ripping adventure add on's built into the Metallic Tome!  So this means that basically this metal setting book is gonna plug right into the back end of the plane of drugs & vileness that is Narcosa. 

So basically we're gonna see a whole cloth setting from a death & heavy metal addict with over tones that jar into a full blown metalocalypse.I can see doing full quests for magic items like  the Power Drill of Wounding, the Rock of Aegis, the Brigandine Loincloth, and the Ashtray of Many Things. The Metallic Tome is a straight up gonzo OSR setting with all of the OSR  metal bells & whistles! Needless to say with a bit of PC background this setting book could be used as the plane of metal. One of the ideas that I have is kicking out Roll XX is a system-agnostic book of random tables for fantasy, sci-fi, superheroes, and horror role-playing games.Packed with adventure hooks, story seeds, NPCs, magic items, spaceships, demons, and locations, Roll XX features 90 questions and 1800 answers. Then using Roll XX & Roll XX Double Damage to fill in the rest of the world of The Metallic Tome. 

Make no mistake this is gonna be a balls to the wall Gonzo setting book & I can so see using it right from the ground up. And I can even see using The Metallic Tome with several other OSR rpg systems & products specifically Venger Satanis's Cha'alt setting especially as the source for the hair band or heavy metal bard PC's that have shown up from time to time in my campaigns

I'd take  The Metallic Tome to the next level & add in 'Metal Gods' into the planes as a sort of bardic patron perhaps. I can also see using The Metallic Tome as part of the campaign background for Patrick Wetmore's the Anomalous Subsurface Environment series of adventures & sources books the Gonzo over the top metal vibe of ASE1 & 2 fit the whole cloth setting vibe of The Metallic Tome perfectly! 

So would I back The Metallic Tome kickstarter?! Hell yes I sure as Hell would & there are several reasons why: 

1. Rafael Chandler has a proven OSR kickstarter track record & the man doesn't hate my guts! 
2. Two Chandler's OSR stuff is always oozing quality & is actually useful at the table top level. 
3. Rafael Chandler's OSR monster books speak for themselves 
4. I'm going to be incorporating this setting into my games as soon as it hits the stands. I've used mutant cocaine laced post apocalyptic game settings before in my games. 
5. Can't wait to see where The Metallic Tome  takes its setting too & I will be reviewing it coming up for this blog. 
6. Rafael Chandler is a proven OSR writer & designer whose works speaks for itself. 

The Lulu Controversy & Free Castles & Crusades Material

So over the last couple of days I've been a bit overwhelmed by sewing machine repair work & the on going pandemic. Not to worry I've still managed to sneak in a bit of Patrick Wetmore lulu action with some mail call today.   Thanks Patrick! I look forward to using these at the table top!

Apparently I managed to sneak this in before the great Lulu controversy of 2020. Evil races not being considered canon anyone in fifth edition D&D? Who cares! Lulu completely changing their website format & locking out customers as well as  creators? Yeah that didn't hit Tanker's Tavern did it! Nope instead it hits the OSR Henchman Abuse blog. 

My fascination or obsession with Castles & Crusades continues & I came across Peter J Schroeder's 'Crusader's Companion'. A free collection of C&C rules variants & alternative classes! I'm really looking forward to using these at the table top level. 



I'm liking what I'm seeing in the Crusader's Companion! There's like three hundred pages of material here & man its been a Hell of a read through. If you haven't grabbed  the Crusader's Companion then my suggestion is to do so!
There's some good stuff in there. 

Goodman Games Original Adventures Reincarnated line: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks & The Use of Mega Dungeons In Old School Campaigns

So I've been doing a lot of research & thinking now that Goodman Games has announced Original Adventures Reincarnated line: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks next. And the announcement has me  thinking about my 2100 alternative World War I game. What would happen if a star ship crashed into a technologically sophisticated world someplace in Europe? What would this mean to a  Victorious/ Amazing Adventures! Rpg  game?


There's a few things happening here such as the fact that we'd be looking a full on race to be the first to break into the ship & then there's the fact that you've got the monsters adding to the boil of events brewing in Europe in the world of 2100.
The Thulean Empire would make a mad dash for it but where would the crash happen? Let's say that right on the edge of the Thulean Empire would work on the outskirts of the Black Forrest. Why would the PC's be involved? Because  the Grand Duchy of Geoff is an independent kingdom right on the Thulean Empire & while it provides taxes & levies it gets very little in the way of help from the Thuleans. 

 Guardians of Lemuria. from Antediluvian miniatures

 have been my go too  Thulean  army for our game. 

Once the monsters start showing up you've got the Thuleans fighting on another front & things could get very hairy for the PC's indeed.
But what if this isn't the only ship falling from the sky? What happens if this only one of several of these craft that have come outta warp at the edge of the solar system?  What happens if another spacecraft falls into the European or Canadian wilderness? Well what if we slip Patrick Wetmore's  ASE1: Anomalous Subsurface Environment adventure into the mix? 

Well a few things are going to happen, these mega dungeon relic ships in Europe might be a tipping point for this campaign. These bastions of monsters, lost technologies, & nation building potential might cause all kinds of international havoc inside this pressure cooker of a campaign.

This pressure cooker could be a real mounting problem as nations see potential military assets & a world tipping asset. So given the number of factions these dungeon settings are much more then merely legendary adventure locations.
They could be a potential source for all kinds of havoc as various factions fight for control but what they don't realize is the potential of an enemy coming from within. Any monsters already on the ground within a campaign that make their way into such a dungeon have the power to wrestle control of a piece of the action. This could come as a real shock to a party of adventurers. They could be caught within a power play between the political powers of a campaign & the forces within that threat to tear them apart.


The mega dungeon becomes not only a source of monsters but a source of power. These locations serve as not only the center piece of a campaign but one of its main motivators. The power of the mega dungeon in the hands of a dungeon master should never be underestimated. Here are ten more ways to really bring the heat with these dungeons of doom:

1. The dungeon has been converted to a temple of light but below the dungeon is a bubbling cornucopia of horror & depravity. 
2. The PC's stumble upon a mega dungeon in motion & things go from bad to worse as a gold rush race to grab its power & resources happen. 
3. Mega dungeons are sources of power & supernatural terror they could be one of the sources of mythological power within an area but they might also be a potential source for good as well. The PC's are going to have their hands full. 
4. Treasure brings headaches & heartache as well so DM's might take full advantage of the economic implications of a mega dungeon's discovery. 
5. The megadungeon might be location for any number of mundane NPC's who use its deadliness & horror as a cover for their own nefarious doings. 
6. Balances of power could hinge on the real placement such megdungeon locations. 
7. Cults worshiping the monsters of a megadungeon could potentially be the crew for maintaining its traps, lures, and lethality. They might be monsters unto themselves.
8. Mega dungeons could serve as the lair for god or demi god leading to all kinds of issues with the locals who worship & actually love the god. 
9. Dragons should never be underestimated in using such complexes as megadungeons their the perfect boss for such locations. 
10. Technologies & relics brought from mega dungeons even not working are very valuable potentially.  

The Apocalyptic Campaign Appearance Of The Dungeon Module ASE2-3 Anomalous Subsurface Environment By Patrick Wetmore

"The Anomalous Subsurface Environment is more than just robots and lasers – it's clowns and dinosaurs, too! Levels 2 and 3 of the critically ignored gonzo megadungeon are finally available – with more classes, more tables, and more cruel and unusual ways to die deep beneath the surface of the post-apocalyptic Earth"

When it comes to mega dungeons that don't get the press they deserve  ASE1: Anomalous Subsurface Environment By Patrick Wetmore is high on my list of adventures. The last time it got a bit of a nod was on my blog last year & I haven't gotten back to it a year or more. 

 The gonzo nature of the adventure typically puts folks off. But the fact is that the second adventure is the equivalent of a science fantasy gold rush across a fantasy world.  This is one of the reasons why ASE2-3 is a necessary step for a DM planning on introducing the city of Denethix to their campaign world.
For me the world of ASE is a science fantasy/fantasy world in the vein of DC's late Seventies settings that they used along side of their regular world. A high end Jack Kirby Style Forth World science fantasy event happened & the old world ended in a spectacular fashion.

This two page spread from Jack Kirby's Demon comic book  run really brings home the feel of the world of ASE to me.

 Since then the world has climbed its way to a black powder style wheel lock & flint lock level of technology. There are scattered pockets of barbarianism & tribal warfare happening all over the place. Before he threw his toys out of the pram,  the Dungeon of Signs blog had a great free adventure resource called the LAND OF 1,000 TOWERS (ASE) ADVENTURE  which is  the perfect way to introduce a party to the whole ASE1 setting.

This brings me to Astonishing Swords men & Sorcerers of Hyperbroea second edition's game setting which could be another other dimensional piece of the ASE campaign cosmology.
ASE2-3 really has several ideas within it that remind me of Clark Ashton Smith's Zothique setting in principle & setting dynamics. The world has passed on but bits & pieces of the 'Old Earth ' remains. Sure its played for laughs in ASE but there's lots of potential for a massive cross game megadungeon event. The appearance of the mega dungeon ASE might be the apocalyptic sign for other mega dungeons to burst across OSR game lands! Could the cults of Orcus use this chaos to ramp up the power of chaos across the multiverse?
Imagine that the appearance of one mega dungeon signals the appearance of a multitude of other old school dungeons to 'awaken' after thousands of years! Another gold rush ensues & economic chaos grips the world as weird artifacts & horror sweep in!
Yeah, I'm talking combining ASE2-3 with the Adventurer,Conqueror, King version of Dwimmermount!

Think about this as an  "Eighties Marvel style comic book  Summer spectacular" but its an OSR sandbox style mega dungeon romp!  The echoes of the opening of  doors of the mega dungeon to resound across the dimensions & suddenly ancient evil stirs across the lands!
Could this also be an apocalyptic sign  to  a vile villain stirring in the ancient prehistoric swamps of Blackmoor? Has this been the excuse its been waiting for? Could the Lovecraftian Egg of Coot have been waiting for just such an event to bring itself back onto the cosmic stage?!




Mega dungeon locations are nothing to meddle with & Dave Hargrave had his fair share of Arduin adventure locations that would fit right into the Apocalyptic themes of such a Summer campaign cycle. The Arduin Grimoire II: Welcome to Skull Tower by Dave Hargrave from Grimoire Games published in  1978  slots right into the back end of this  with an adventure location to be devil the Hell out of players.


Gary Gygax has several modules that I think would weave right into this style of a mega campaign cycle. Those are going to wait till tomorrow! 

Some Commentary On ASE1: Anomalous Subsurface Environment By Patrick Wetmore & Free OSR Adventure Resources For Your Old School Campaigns

 ASE1: Anomalous Subsurface Environment By Patrick Wetmore  is one of the most seldom mentioned mega dungeons on the OSR market. This  is a great mix of the traditional old school fantasy & gonzo science fantasy adventure elements packaged around a great campaign world setting all for the Labyrinth Lord rpg system.  "Put those dark elves back in their box and get your gonzo on! Riches, glory, and super-science await the bold and the clever in the deep places under the ground. This module describes the dinosaur- and wizard-infested future of the Earth, the city of Denethix, and the first level of the megadungeon that beckons from below: the Anomalous Subsurface Environment" This makes this great adventure/campaign setting  to introduce a mix of Mutant Future/Labyrinth Lord without the traditional 'Thundarr The Barbarian' stereo world type that almost every post apocalyptic dungeon master seems to using according the internet. This is a fantasy world where the post apocalyptic is still bubbling right below the surface in a pulpy morass mess just waiting for adventurer's to pop the boil of it!


What started off this whole quest into ASE1, was looking into resources for Labyrinth Lord.  I found  this question on Stack Exchange's rpg section "How does Swords & Wizardry differ from Labyrinth Lord?' which has a really good breakdown of the two systems. This was followed by,
"What are the differences between Labyrinth Lord and Lamentations of the Flame Princess." There is also this was followed by this little question on Reddit,"Opinions wanted Labyrinth Lord or Lamentations of the Flame Princess" I have a lot of history with Labyrinth Lord, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, & B/X Dungeons & Dragons as a lot of folks know so I love to cross compare these systems. Finding out how the clock work of a system works is part of the fun for a dungeon master. 

It also makes it easy to move PC's from one setting to another. How is the opening of a mega dungeon such as Anomalous Subsurface Environment going to impact a campaign setting? Its going to be a huge world changing affair actually. Sparking the equivalent of a science fantasy gold rush across a fantasy world.  This is one of the reasons why ASE2-3 is a necessary step for a DM planning on introducing the city of Denethix.


"The Anomalous Subsurface Environment is more than just robots and lasers – it's clowns and dinosaurs, too! Levels 2 and 3 of the critically ignored gonzo megadungeon are finally available – with more classes, more tables, and more cruel and unusual ways to die deep beneath the surface of the post-apocalyptic Earth!" There are going to be other adventurers, rumors, and all kinds of legends surrounding  the Anomalous Subsurface Environment.
This brings me to the free Dungeon of Signs LAND OF 1,000 TOWERS (ASE) ADVENTURE LOCALES which are the perfect way to introduce a party to the whole ASE1 setting. This can be done without dropping the poor bastard adventurers into the deep end. Obelisk of Forgotten Memories  is a low 1-2 level adventure perfect to introduce new PC's into the setting of ASE. Part outdoor adventure & part dungeon it has many of the author's take on the world of ASE. The Wreck of the Anubis adventure is another location adventure designed for parties of adventurers levels 2-3.With a whole different take on the 'lair as adventure' trope of D&D.
The Land of 1000 Towers is a dangerous little setting that can be added into the DM's old school campaign. This brings me to the idea that the mega dungeon as domain level campaign changer. Suddenly the appearance of a mega dungeon heralds a major change in the world setting. This is something that we've seen in a few B/X  or Holmes Dungeons & Dragons adventures.  With the Adventurer,Conqueror, King rpg system this leads ASE dungeon being a huge influence on politics, warfare, fashion, etc. across the whole range of society. Nations might go to war over the resources the mega dungeon offers, cities  could have their entire social dynamic changed, and more. The religious implications of this location are huge for an on the ground sword & sorcery setting especially one set in an alternative  Age of Sail or post Roman empire.

This brings me to the 'FALLEN EMPIRE' setting adventures of Dungeon of Signs, there's some really good pulpy sword & sorcery stuff here. 'Lone Colossus of the Akolouthos Sink' is a weird pulpy adventure for 1-5 level PC's in the guts of a war machine.  Stone Ships  is an experiment in random dungeon generation  for level 1-4 PC's that includes blood sucking monkeys & there's more. Just go and download the whole lot of it. Its that good. Of course I'm going to try working  the Anomalous Subsurface Environment adventure  into Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. The city of Denethix & the surrounding countries could be used as another world with doors onto Hyperborea which would be the best route. There are some damage thresholds that would have to adjusted from Labyrinth Lord to AS&SH especially when it comes to ASE's artifacts. My advice is to use AS&SH as the back bone system & convert damage on the fly as needed.


ASE might actually be another remanent of 'Old Earth' in another world in the form of a mega dungeon location. Given the races,classes, etc. there are lots of lost world potential here with cross overs making things very dangerous & dicey for parties of adventurers.
'Hel's Crow's Final Rest'  is a great adventure for low level Viking parties for AS&SH as well.  Adrift on the Sea of Love has all of the charm of a pirate with scurvy in a good way and would also work for a low level AS&SH party with a pirate focus.

You can grab The FALLEN EMPIRE LOCALES Adventures
  In The Middle Of The Download Page & LAND OF 1,000 TOWERS (ASE) ADVENTURE At The End.