'Hates of Old' Viking & Germanic Dragons from Dragon Magazine issues 182 & 183 For Your ACK's Campaigns

 So last night  I met up with a friend of mine for a beer after dealing with a very busy day at work. I'm supposed to put all of this & more on social media. Frankly, I'd rather spend the time with some of my Dragon magazines instead. Which brings me to Dragon magazine issue #182, incase you don't know 'Dragon issue 182, 16th Anniversary Issue: Dragons: born of imagination, was released in June of 1992. ' according to it's Forgotten Realms's Wiki entry here. 

This is one of my all time favorite Dragon magazine articles because it contains the "Viking's Dragons"   By Jean Rabe, illustrated by Jim Holloway. p. 17-23

An overview of the Norse lands' great serpents, part 1. ^{[citation template]}

• Forest linnorm
• Land linnorm
• Sea linnorm
• Frost linnorm
• Dread linnorm

And the Dragon's Bestry By By Gregory W. Detwiler. p. 25–27, 32 which has the Lindworm & Swamp Wyrm again perfectly suited for a particular style of Sword & Sorcery camapaign. These horrors are quite dangerous to any group of adventurers who get in their way Viking or otherwise.  If we look at the Wiki entry on Germanic  Dragons (cough,cough for a bit of historical  background) then we get this little gem; "In early depictions, as with dragons in other cultures, the distinction between Germanic dragons and regular snakes is blurred, with both being referred to as Old Norse ormr or Old English wyrm from Proto-Germanic *wurmiz. Wyrm has since been borrowed back into Modern English to mean "dragon", while the descendent term worm remains used in Modern English to refer to dragons, especially those lacking wings.^[1][2]

In Fáfnismál, the dragon Fáfnir is described as flightless and snake-like, and is referred to as an ormr.^[3][4] In the later Völsunga saga, however, he has shoulders, suggesting legs, wings or both, and is referred to as both a dreki and an ormr.^[5] Similarly, the dragon in Beowulf is referred to as both a wyrm and a draca, although in some sources such as Ketils saga hœngs and the 14th century romance saga Konráðs saga keisarasonar, ormar and drekar are portrayed as distinct beings, with winged dragons sometimes specified as flogdreka (flying dragons).^[6] Old Norse dreki and Old English draca mean "dragon, sea serpent or sea monster" and are in turn derived from Proto-Germanic *drakō, an early borrowing from Latin draco "huge serpent or dragon".^[7][8][9]

The evolution of wingless and legless worms and lindworms to flying, four-legged romanesque dragons in Germanic folklore and literature is most likely due to influence from continental Europe that was facilitated by Christianisation and the increased availability of translated romances. It has thus been proposed that the description in Völuspá of Níðhöggr with feathers and flying after Ragnarök is a late addition and potentially a result of the integration of pagan and Christian imagery."

 So basically we have the full picture of where these wyrms may have originated. But are they still active!?! 
In my own campaigns?! Oh yes absolutely they are. These things are demigod killers especially within a game such as Adventurer, Conqueror, King rpg.  These dragons are also perfectly suited to ACK's Heroic Fantasy Handbook where the dragons are almost but not quite god destroyer problems. And this goes right back to the original Germanic Dragons of mythology; "The evolution of wingless and legless worms and lindworms to flying, four-legged romanesque dragons in Germanic folklore and literature is most likely due to influence from continental Europe that was facilitated by Christianisation and the increased availability of translated romances. It has thus been proposed that the description in Völuspá of Níðhöggr with feathers and flying after Ragnarök is a late addition and potentially a result of the integration of pagan and Christian imagery" 

The Viking Wryms are continued in Dragon issue #183 in The Viking Dragons By Jean Rabe, illustrated by Jim Holloway. p. 65-70

The continuation of the Viking Dragons has some really dangerous & nasty examples of the species & we get the following according to the Forgotten Realms Wiki entry here: 

An overview of the Norse lands' great serpents, part 2. 

• Flame linnorm
• Gray linnorm
• Rain linnorm
• Corpse tearer
• Midgard linnorm

These species of linnorm are essentially left overs from the Ages of Mythology. Literally, 'hates of old' that are now out to plague adventurers & kingdoms. Making them perfect for ACK's Heroic Fantasy Handbook as wytms & horrors to plague the land. 

OSR Commentary - Adventurer, Conqeuror, King's Forces of Chaos & Free ACK's Downloads

 So over the past couple of days we've been looking into Adventurer,Conqueror, King rpg's download's page we came across Monster's Demons & Beastmen downloads. Why are these important?! Because they bring D&D traditional demon types into ACK's. Within ACK's the beastmen forces are literally the face of Chaos!  

In the past we've used beastmen as the obvious 'monster forces' for a wide
variety of ACK's campaigns & mini campaigns.  Axioms Issue 2: Savage Swords of Chaos brings home the beastmen forces &  Monster's Demons & Beastmen downloads compliments this issue like no other. Why because of the fact that the forces of Chaos in ACK's are so tied into the overaching campaign setting of the game. Yes there's lots of freedom for DM's to create their own worlds & campaign setting. The game is but the official ACK's world of Auran rife with possibilities for mayhem & depravity as Chaos takes over! However where these downloads shine is actually ACK's Future which has among other things the Martians including Green Thark warriors & giant space hamsters. These downloads line up very nicely with Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu. 

ACK's Future might be perfect for a colony of Kanahu as one of the planet's unknown moons. And possibly as another adventuring location. We've used this style of tactic in the past with Venger Satanis's Cha'alt & it might be time to return to it as mini ACK's campaign location. 

Do yourselves a favor as well if your going to get Cha'alt get the books directly from Venger himself. Amazon has them for one hundred US plus shipping. Venger will be much less within the continenal United States. Just contact him here. 

Review & Commentary On 'Weird Romance' By Steve Miller, Steve Ditko, Howard Nostrand, Samm Schwartz, Joe Beck, Basil Wolverton From Nulow Games

 "LOVE IS IN THE AIR...

... but so is fear and laughter in this collection of off-center comics shorts by legendary talents such as Steve Ditko, Dick Giordano, Samm Schwartz, Basil Wolverton, and others!" 

"Weird Romance is a collection of romance-tinged humor, horror, and undefinably fantastic stories from the creators who helped build the foundation upon which the comics we know and love today stand. Whether you want escape from from the romantic sap of certain holidays, or if you're interested in studying rarely seen work from great creators, this is the book for you!"

Weird Romance is definitely the book for me combined pre code public domain horror stories with Steve Miller of Nulow Games hand at bringing Weird Romances to life for your old scool games. This is a forty two page book of romance, horror, and romance horror stories done by some the classic greats Steve Ditko, Howard Nostrand, Samm Schwartz, Joe Beck, & Basil Wolverton. So you know the comics are going to be solid & good. 
And they are with a new system agnoistic horror & romance themed system that Steve Miller has developed as an all-new universal roleplaying game aid. And it actually does work for developing fast & dirty adventure plot points. Adventure points that have a horrific & deadly romance aspect to them. And the comic book stories highlight how this system could & should actually be used. 

Where could Weird Romance actually be used for OSR games?! The first one that springs to mind is actually the Wretchploitation rpg.  One of the PC's get's him or herself caught up in a deadly romanctic triangle and only the other player's PC's can get hime or her out! 

Weird Romance could also be used with the Marvel Super Heroes rpg easily. With so many monsters, vampires, etc. The implications for romantic entanglements with things of the 'other realms' is a pretty easy fit for an evening's entertainment & adventure. 

Could Weird Romance be used for OSR or Dungeons & Dragons style games?! 

Certainly without question. Roll up a romance of horror or sci fi for your favorite retroclone & go. Lamentations of the Flame Princess rpg instantly springs to mind here. 

And if you want real complications for your Adventurer,Conqueror, King rpg domain game?! Well what happens when your betrothed isn't quite what you thought she was?! Could the prince in the oven actually be a monster waiting to be unleashed on your kingdom?! And what about Castles & Crusades?! The PC's new romantic interest turns out to be something unexpected & highly dangerous?! It's happened in various campaigns we've played in. 

All in all Weird Romance is a nice little romp of system agnoistic weirdness that will be of us coming up for us! 

Weird Romance  From  NUELOW Games

Is Available Right Over here! 

Mail Call - Aryxymaraki’s Almanac of Unusual Magic Hardback By Matt Jarmak For Adventurer,Conqueror,King Rpg as well as Old School or OSR Game Systems

 "The ancient almanac of unusual magic, penned by the wizard-lord Aryxymaraki in the time before the Day Without Night, has been rediscovered…

Within the pages of Aryxymaraki’s Almanac of Unusual Magic, you will find four new kinds of magic-user, each of which uses magic in new and exciting ways:

• Dwarven earthforgers inherit an ancient tradition allowing them to draw on the spark of the divine found in all creation to power their magic.
• Gnomish alchemists are experimenters whose concoctions range from ‘helpful and safe’ to ‘incredibly poisonous’.
• Terran engineers are scientists and builders from another time, whose inventions and tinkering certainly appear magical to most non-technological societies.
• Warlords draw on the chaotic energy of battle, taming it with their practiced tactics and leadership to ensure that their side wins.

These new classes are built for use with Autarch’s Heroic Fantasy Handbook, which provides rules for ceremonial and eldritch magic"

Its been forever since the Aryxymaraki’s Almanac of Unusual Magic Hardback  By Matt Jarmak hardback was supposed to appear it seems. Then yesterday it materialized in our mailbox. Its so nice getting ACK's materials like this book because it blends so well with the Autarch’s Heroic Fantasy Handbook. In point fact its simply a PC extension book of that line. 


The hardback is a handsome volume printed in the US which is very unusual but the quality of the paper does set it off. And its the fact that there are  plans for this book that make it special. You can find a review of it over here that we've already done on the blog here. 

The layout is top notch the binding is solid, the whole cloth of the volume is perfect for the ACK's fanatic in me. This is also a perfect book to use with Troll Lords  Castles & Crusades. So the timing of this delivery couldn't be better. 

Given the recent material from James Mishler games Aryxymaraki’s Almanac of Unusual Magic couldn't have come at a better time. So tonight its gonna be about cracking spines & getting to work on the campaign notes. There's some really interesting ideas happening. Is Aryxymaraki’s Almanac of Unusual Magic worth getting?! Absolutely if your an ACK's fanatic like myself... 

OSR Moorcockian Frankenstein Campaign Workshop Songs of Accursed Atlantis - The Neulow Games Files

  "Above its domes the gulfs accumulate.

Far up, the sea-gales blare their bitter screed:
But here the buried waters take no heed—
Deaf, and with welded lips pressed down by weight
Of the upper ocean. Dim, interminate,
In cities over-webbed with somber weed,
Where galleons crumble and the krakens breed,
The slow tide coils through sunken court and gate.

From out the ocean's phosphor-starry dome,
A ghostly light is dubitably shed
On altars of a goddess garlanded
With blossoms of some weird and hueless vine;
And, wingéd, fleet, through skies beneath the foam,
Like silent birds the sea-things dart and shine."

Atlantis  (1912) 
by Clark Ashton Smith

 'You owe us Fabiaschi & we've put up with a lot of your guff.', DM Steve wasn't letting me off of the hook easily. But what the Hell was I going to do if the PC's survive!? Their latest decent into  Black Blade of the Demon King by Ahimsa Kerp,  & Wind Lothamer from Knight Owl Publishing?! 



So today we were informed that two players who moved away about two years ago are moving back into Connecticut to take care of their eldery parents. They'll be working remotely as are a lot of people in this age of Covid. But now they'll be playing more the problem?! My sewing machine work takes up a good chunk of my schedule. Now Black Blade of the Demon King by Ahimsa Kerp,  & Wind Lothamer from Knight Owl Publishing is an adventure that I've been running with the OSR rules set up for this game has been the Fantastic Heroes & Witchery  Rpg. But with possibly eight players what can I possibly do for a ready to go campaign world yesterday?! Well wayback in October there were a few sessions of  Atlantandria Port City Of Accursed Atlantis. Now here's the problem there's not a huge amount filled in about the world campaign setting of Accursed Atlantis or is there?!  A while back I approached Steve Miller of Nuelow games to grab a copy of his Love Witch supplement.Which while it is D20 Modern OGL is actually easily convertable to both Castles & Crusades or Fantastic Heroes & Witchery  Rpg. 

Originally 'The Love Witch' was supposed to be an encounter for my Godzilla/War of the Worlds Victorious rpg 1898 campaign. And it still might be. But now the Love Witch has become an island off the coast of Accursed Atlantis. But that's not all! Miller's Jungle Terrors supplement has several nasty Chaos laden vampiric species that are going to be on another part of the extra dimensional isles surrounding Accursed Atlantis. 

Already I can hear the OSR fans sniping but there's no bleeding old school connections. But wait there's the vampiric cult of Drelnza on Accursed Atlantis. Her fearsome cult of blood sucking fiends grows nightly & her priests grow her flock in preparation from when she awakens on another world.  Drelzna, the vampiric daughter of long-deceased archmage Iggwilv. One of the biggest modules that had an impact on me was S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. 

The players have already said they wanted a bit of an off beat campaign? And boy have I got them covered. Imagine if you will crossing slumberland & adventuring  with some of the horrors of both HP Lovecraft, & Clark Asthon Smith. Surely this would require an expensive book from the furthest reaches of the OSR? Actually it ran us about ten dollars with issues one & two of 'Through Ultan's Door'. 

And this leads me back to using Castles & Crusades Monsters & Treasure book to fill in the rest of this wonderful little solid gem of OSR weirdness.  Both Castles & Crusades Monsters & Treasure book & Castles & Crusades Classic Monsters & Treasure book are  effectively the C&C Monster Manual & Fiend Folio (sorta) but works well with Fantastic Heroes & Witchery rpg. 

This whole cloth idea came straight outta of Michael Moorcock's The Dream Thief's Daughter Tales of the Ablino along with an unhealthy dose of Lovecraft's Dream cycle. But remember Chaos will have its day folks. 

Two of our players are already agents of Chaos & one of em is an agent of  Law who seems to be inching towards Chaos.. But time will tell... That little incident involving on of the PC's  becoming a necromancer might have tripped a bit of a trigger.

 

Tegel Manor Crashes Into Atlantandria Port City Of Accursed Atlantis Session Report Four/Five - Halloween Game - The Hive & the Oasis

"The zombie things  came pouring out of the hive at break neck pace! The worm like bug jumpers made the party retch! " 

" It lies with in a land that is only seen by the sun and the moon and the horizon-questing stars. The sky-wrestled mountains, like sentries of Eternity, surround with their immemorial zone of azure-shadowed snows the serenity of the lake's unfathomable dream. They bar therefrom the sounds of the aeons that thunder on the shores of Eternity, and the winds that ring with the rumour of iron years, and shut from all save the azure infinite, and the fires and clouds and shadows of the sky.

The lake is feed with the snows of the mountains, and with silence that flows from the mien of space, and is filled with the blue splendour of the sky. Infinitely finds itself doubled herein.

On the shore of the lake grow the blue and white amaranths of a perennial summer, and there is no life save that of butterflies and the most beautiful birds. He who penetrates this land may drink the silence of the lake, and look upon it till the image of infinity fills imperturbably the depths of a mind that has become as calm and smooth as the waters."

The Lake of Enchanted Silence  (1922) 

by Clark Ashton Smith

Picking up on events that happened last session & putting to campaign events into high gear! 

The party found themselves by a wasteland oasis by a mountain fed lake & some ruins that looked very inviting. And the first kill of the night happened when a hopper assassin bug took out one of the party's clerics. He decapitated him in one pass! And that's when the bug infested zombies poured out from underground!  Because I'm using Adventurer,Conqueror, King as the base system  we decided to use Night Owl Workshop's Beasties as the monster book. We had a crowd of eight players & their PC's during last night's game. The other player's cleric's  turning didn't work on the zombies because technically they weren't dead!  It took three charges from a wand of fire balls by one of the party's wizards to finish even a quarter of the zombies as the party made its way into the hive! 

Because we've been on a time line with work we also cut a corner or two by using ACK's Lairs & Encounters book for portions of the bug's hive! The party found themselves within the lair of the bugs & they knew that they were in the thick of it! 
The party became very quiet was slowly picking its way through the hive when they came across plasma bugs along with the brain bug programmers. These were feeding instructions to the bastard things while several Kephri masters. Nearby soldier bugs milled around acting as body guards. Now the party was joined by their wizard who nearly was infected by jumping parasitic bug embryos. The  question of the next move is the players!  

Tegel Manor Crashes Into Atlantandria Port City Of Accursed Atlantis - Session Report Two

 Twilight ascends the abandoned ramps of noon

Within an ancient land, whose after-time
Unfathomably shadows its ruined prime.
Like rising mist the night increases soon
Round shattered palaces, ere yet the moon
On mute, unsentried walls and turrets climb,
And touch with pallor of sepulchral rime
The desert where a city's bones are strewn.

She comes at last: unsepultured, they show
In all the hoary starkness of old stone.
From out a shadow like the lips of Death
Issues a wind, that through the ruins blown,
Cries like a prophet's ghost, with waiting breath,
The weirds of finished and forgotten woe.

A Dead City  (1912) 
by Clark Ashton Smith

So over last twenty four hours we've been picking up the parts & pieces of our Atlantandria Port City Of Accursed Atlantis game last night. This game has been on hiatus since August due to the death of two of our regular players. We're using a heavily modified Adventurer,Conqueror,King rpg system. Last night's game saw the party bargaining with inhuman powers. The party went to deal with a regional leader of the Greys to bargain with a superscience cure for their paladin Sir John. Many of the adventure elements were taken straight from Adventurer, Conqeuror, King's Barbarian Conqueror's of Kanahu 

The Greys being the demonic half breed  bastards that they are demanded a power crystal from a bug hive on the Southern tip of Accursed Atlantis. The bugs in question come straight outta of  Night Owl Workhop's Colonial Troopers. The Terrans are in an all out protracted war with 'the bugs'. 

The party wanted to think about the bargain but later that night at camp they were attacked by a group of vampire cultists! There was an all out fight & gun shots were fired.  The cultists were captured & staked out for the morning suns. They then contacted the Greys & accepted the bargain for the power crystal. 

Meanwhile the Rumps are not staying quiet & their own operatives have been moving across the wasteland toward the party. They picked up the trail back in Atlantandria & talked with several folks who had dealings with the party. This included a rather snutty  Terran ambassor & operative.