One of my favorite authors. Stephen Donaldson wrote several series, the best known being The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever. A story about a leper author who gets transported into a fantasy world in which he is to be the Hero, Covenant is truly an anti-Hero story as Thomas' leprosy and psychological regimen prevents him from buying into the dream world in which he finds himself.
His other series contain characters that are also self abnegating, set against a backdrop of high drama and intrigue that lends verisimilitude to the decisions made, however antithetical they might be to the paradigm they find themselves in.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever
Mordant's Need
The Gap
The Man Who...
Click here to go to the Stephen R. Donaldson section of The Goblin Trove store
Monday, August 18, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Game System - Trinity
In 1997, White Wolf Game Studio attempted a new addition to their gaming catalog - a trilogy of RPGs using the same game system, and occuring at different points in the fictional universe's time line. Although the games were published in reverse order, with Trinity being the first actually published, the 3 games chronologically are Adventure!, Aberrant, and then Trinity.
Adventure!
Set in 1924, Adventure! is a pulp action setting, and the game book itself was published in sepia tones to evoke the mood of that time period. Daredevils, Mesmerists and Stalwarts explore and seek the cause of the release of Telluric energy. This is what causes the heroes to gain their powers, and sets the foundation for the next two games.
Aberrant
A super hero based game set in 2008, this is the second of the trilogy and deals with the near future, and the ways in which the Telluric energy has change society.
Trinity
Trinity is in the 22nd century, and deals with the aftermath of a great war that started in the Aberrant time era.
The three games were all originally published utilizing the Storyteller game system, and were later re-released under the d20 system.
Adventure!
Set in 1924, Adventure! is a pulp action setting, and the game book itself was published in sepia tones to evoke the mood of that time period. Daredevils, Mesmerists and Stalwarts explore and seek the cause of the release of Telluric energy. This is what causes the heroes to gain their powers, and sets the foundation for the next two games.
Aberrant
A super hero based game set in 2008, this is the second of the trilogy and deals with the near future, and the ways in which the Telluric energy has change society.
Trinity
Trinity is in the 22nd century, and deals with the aftermath of a great war that started in the Aberrant time era.
The three games were all originally published utilizing the Storyteller game system, and were later re-released under the d20 system.
D&D Module - B2 Keep on the Borderlands
RPGs> Fantasy> Dungeons and Dragons> D&D
Any old time D&D fan will know this module, as it was included in the D&D Box Set from 1979-1982 and was an introduction level module that would be the first adventure many newbies to the game would experience.
The basic plot is a typical dungeon crawl - go into the Caves of Chaos and kill all the bad guys. These included Kobolds, Orcs (two warring tribes!), Goblins, and a fearsome Minotaur among others. The module serves as kind of a "Who's who" of enemies from the basic D&D game, and most adventurers will encounter this stable over and over again throughout their adventuring careers.
B2 also spawned several sequels and re-dos, most notably Return to the Keep on the Borderlands, a 2nd Edition version set 20 years after the events of the original module. A pared down version also appears in the super module B1-9 In Search of Adventure. A novel, The Keep on the Borderlands, was published as a standalone novel with the tag of "Greyhawk". There has been some contention regarding the Return and the novel as the original Keep was added to the Mystara campaign setting, and crossed characters and gods could confuse the uninitiated.
Hackmaster also published a version of the adventure.
Resources
Keep on the Borderlands at Wikipedia
Keep on the Borderlands at RPGNet
Purchase the varying incarnations at Amazon:
Any old time D&D fan will know this module, as it was included in the D&D Box Set from 1979-1982 and was an introduction level module that would be the first adventure many newbies to the game would experience.
The basic plot is a typical dungeon crawl - go into the Caves of Chaos and kill all the bad guys. These included Kobolds, Orcs (two warring tribes!), Goblins, and a fearsome Minotaur among others. The module serves as kind of a "Who's who" of enemies from the basic D&D game, and most adventurers will encounter this stable over and over again throughout their adventuring careers.
B2 also spawned several sequels and re-dos, most notably Return to the Keep on the Borderlands, a 2nd Edition version set 20 years after the events of the original module. A pared down version also appears in the super module B1-9 In Search of Adventure. A novel, The Keep on the Borderlands, was published as a standalone novel with the tag of "Greyhawk". There has been some contention regarding the Return and the novel as the original Keep was added to the Mystara campaign setting, and crossed characters and gods could confuse the uninitiated.
Hackmaster also published a version of the adventure.
Resources
Keep on the Borderlands at Wikipedia
Keep on the Borderlands at RPGNet
Purchase the varying incarnations at Amazon:
Friday, August 15, 2008
Spectrum Fantastic Art
In 1993, Cathy and Arnie Fenner created a series called Spectrum to showcase contemporary Fantastic Artists - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and other artwork that wasn't receiving the mainstream attention they thought it should be.
Dozens of artists contribute to the effort, and selections are chosen through a yearly competition. The 15th book in the series comes out in 2008, having run every year since it's inception in 1993.
Resources
Spectrum Website
Dozens of artists contribute to the effort, and selections are chosen through a yearly competition. The 15th book in the series comes out in 2008, having run every year since it's inception in 1993.
Resources
Spectrum Website
D&D
RPGs> Fantasy> Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons. The most venerable and prolific of fantasy RPGs, known by all gamers and even most non-gamers. Now in it's 4th edition, D&D has had a long and varied career with ups and downs, some great material (and some not so great), and a varying image in the public eye. Accused of corrupting youth, being an escape, being a psychological tool, and any number of other things. There are plenty of websites discussing D&D and detailing it, so here we will just touch on the basics, and provide a map through the different incarnations of this grandfather of games.
Current Edition
Dungeons and Dragons is currently in it's 4th Edition as numbered editions goes, but is in it's 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th incarnation (depending on the criteria). The current edition was released in June of 2008, and has been generally well received by the role playing community. The current release tends to favor action more akin to online MMORPGs than the previous editions, which is considered both a boon and an anchor, depending on which side of the fence is asked.
Release History
D&D
Chainmail
The predecessor to D&D was a wargame for medieval type miniatures known as Chainmail. Written by Jeff Perren and Gary Gygax, the rulebook was published by Guidon in 1971 and contained a fantasy supplement that was the basis for the D&D game.
Resources
Chainmail game at Wikipedia
Chainmail at RPGNet
D&D "OD&D" (1974)
Published as a set in 1974, the original D&D game consisted of 3 booklets.
Dungeons and Dragons. The most venerable and prolific of fantasy RPGs, known by all gamers and even most non-gamers. Now in it's 4th edition, D&D has had a long and varied career with ups and downs, some great material (and some not so great), and a varying image in the public eye. Accused of corrupting youth, being an escape, being a psychological tool, and any number of other things. There are plenty of websites discussing D&D and detailing it, so here we will just touch on the basics, and provide a map through the different incarnations of this grandfather of games.Current Edition
Dungeons and Dragons is currently in it's 4th Edition as numbered editions goes, but is in it's 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th incarnation (depending on the criteria). The current edition was released in June of 2008, and has been generally well received by the role playing community. The current release tends to favor action more akin to online MMORPGs than the previous editions, which is considered both a boon and an anchor, depending on which side of the fence is asked.
Release History
- Chainmail (Predecessor game)
- D&D (1974)
- D&D Basic Set (1977)
- AD&D (1977)
- D&D Basic Set 2nd Revision (1981)
- D&D Basic Set 3rd Revision (1983)
- AD&D 2nd Edition (1989)
- D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991)
- D&D 3rd Edition (2000)
- D&D 3.5 (2003)
- D&D 4th Edition (2008)
D&D
Chainmail
The predecessor to D&D was a wargame for medieval type miniatures known as Chainmail. Written by Jeff Perren and Gary Gygax, the rulebook was published by Guidon in 1971 and contained a fantasy supplement that was the basis for the D&D game.
Resources
Chainmail game at Wikipedia
Chainmail at RPGNet
D&D "OD&D" (1974)
Published as a set in 1974, the original D&D game consisted of 3 booklets.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
D&D - Mystara
Mystara grew out of the "Known World" generic campaign settings in early Dungeons and Dragons source material. It has it's origin in the module X1 - Isle of Dread, an Expert level adventure for basic Dungeons and Dragons.
Words I Learned From D&D
I started playing D&D in 1978. I was 6 at the time. So when I started going through B2 The Keep on the Borderlands, there were words I didn't know and either guessed at their meaning (tun of wine - that's an awful lot wine, i thought, thinking they really meant "ton"). So began my education of medievalness, and here are some of the words I learned in my early years.
Crenellation - A rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns
Merlon - A solid portion between two crenels in a battlement or crenelated wall.
Tun - A large cask for liquids, especially wine.
Crenellation - A rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns
Merlon - A solid portion between two crenels in a battlement or crenelated wall.
Tun - A large cask for liquids, especially wine.
D&D - Planescape
In 1994, TSR released a campaign setting called "Planescape", which was essentially an expansion of the "Manual of the Planes", re-worked and deepened to create a rich setting that spanned numerous planes of existence.
Overview
Sigil is the center of the planes, a city (the "City of Doors") that leads to anywhere a traveler might wish to go. Ruled by the Lady of Pain, Sigil is a waypoint for all manner of beings (except for deities, who have been banned from entering Sigil, by the Lady), and can be a rough place. Portal keys are needed to access the multitude of planes that Sigil touches, and so some may be stranded within or barred from entering, if the proper key is not held.
Many factions dwell in Sigil, from across the planes, and not all are peaceable with each other. Many conflicts flare up daily in Sigil, and while outright war does not happen (thanks in no small part to the Lady), violence is common enough to jade the inhabitants of the city that see it more often than they might care to.
Items
Boxed sets
* 2600 Planescape Campaign Setting
* 2603 Planes of Chaos
* 2607 Planes of Law
* 2610 A Player’s Primer to the Outlands
* 2615 Planes of Conflict
* 2621 Hellbound: The Blood War
Accessories
* 2602 Monstrous Compendium Appendix
* 2609 In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil
* 2611 The Factol’s Manifesto
* 2613 Monstrous Compendium Appendix II
* 2620 The Planeswalker’s Handbook
* 2623 On Hallowed Ground
* 2624 Uncaged: Faces of Sigil
* 2625 A Guide to the Astral Plane
* 2630 Faces of Evil: The Fiends
* 2633 A Guide to the Ethereal Plane
* 2634 The Inner Planes
* 2635 Monstrous Compendium Appendix III
* Planescape Conspectus
* The Planescape Sketchbook
Adventures
* 2601 The Eternal Boundary
* 2604 Well of Worlds
* 2605 In the Abyss
* 2606 The Deva Spark
* 2608 Fires of Dis
* 2614 Harbinger House
* 2619 Something Wild
* 2626 Doors to the Unknown
* 2628 The Great Modron March
* 2629 Faction War
* 2631 Dead Gods
* 2632 Tales From the Infinite Staircase
Overview
Sigil is the center of the planes, a city (the "City of Doors") that leads to anywhere a traveler might wish to go. Ruled by the Lady of Pain, Sigil is a waypoint for all manner of beings (except for deities, who have been banned from entering Sigil, by the Lady), and can be a rough place. Portal keys are needed to access the multitude of planes that Sigil touches, and so some may be stranded within or barred from entering, if the proper key is not held.
Many factions dwell in Sigil, from across the planes, and not all are peaceable with each other. Many conflicts flare up daily in Sigil, and while outright war does not happen (thanks in no small part to the Lady), violence is common enough to jade the inhabitants of the city that see it more often than they might care to.
Items
Boxed sets
* 2600 Planescape Campaign Setting
* 2603 Planes of Chaos
* 2607 Planes of Law
* 2610 A Player’s Primer to the Outlands
* 2615 Planes of Conflict
* 2621 Hellbound: The Blood War
Accessories
* 2602 Monstrous Compendium Appendix
* 2609 In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil
* 2611 The Factol’s Manifesto
* 2613 Monstrous Compendium Appendix II
* 2620 The Planeswalker’s Handbook
* 2623 On Hallowed Ground
* 2624 Uncaged: Faces of Sigil
* 2625 A Guide to the Astral Plane
* 2630 Faces of Evil: The Fiends
* 2633 A Guide to the Ethereal Plane
* 2634 The Inner Planes
* 2635 Monstrous Compendium Appendix III
* Planescape Conspectus
* The Planescape Sketchbook
Adventures
* 2601 The Eternal Boundary
* 2604 Well of Worlds
* 2605 In the Abyss
* 2606 The Deva Spark
* 2608 Fires of Dis
* 2614 Harbinger House
* 2619 Something Wild
* 2626 Doors to the Unknown
* 2628 The Great Modron March
* 2629 Faction War
* 2631 Dead Gods
* 2632 Tales From the Infinite Staircase
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Elfquest
Wendy and Richard Pini, in 1978, created what was to become a cult hit comic book called "Elfquest". It featured a small group of elves who struggled to survive in a hard world, with constant fighting against humans and at times other elves.
The Story
The basic storyline of Elfquest starts out simply - a tribe of Elves, the Wolfriders, is forced out of their woodland home by a warring tribe of Humans. The Elves, led by Cutter, seek new lands beyond those of the Trolls who they originally seek help from, to shelter them.
The Story
The basic storyline of Elfquest starts out simply - a tribe of Elves, the Wolfriders, is forced out of their woodland home by a warring tribe of Humans. The Elves, led by Cutter, seek new lands beyond those of the Trolls who they originally seek help from, to shelter them.
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Goblin Trove Book Store
You can help support us! If you are interested in purchasing a book we have reviewed, or any book at all for that manner, please visit our book store, also called "The Goblin Trove".
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Ars Magica
Overview
A game set in Mythic Europe, "...where myth is real and where the superstitions of the common folk hold true." Ars Magica takes you into the middle ages of Europe, where you may play as wizards controlling the magic to dominate the destiny of all.
Mechanics
Gameplay
Links
Atlas Games: Ars Magica Homepage
Ars Magica at The Goblin Trove store
A game set in Mythic Europe, "...where myth is real and where the superstitions of the common folk hold true." Ars Magica takes you into the middle ages of Europe, where you may play as wizards controlling the magic to dominate the destiny of all.
Mechanics
Gameplay
Links
Atlas Games: Ars Magica Homepage
Ars Magica at The Goblin Trove store
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Glossary of RPG Terms
A
AD&D - Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
B
C
Character - A persona run within a game by a Player
D
D&D - Dungeons and Dragons
E
F
G
Game Master (GM) - The person who runs an adventure group. Also called Dungeon Master, Narrator, Role Master, and other terms. The ultimate arbiter of what happens in the course of a gaming session.
H
Hack n Slash - An adventure that consists of little more than hacking and slashing a series of monsters and opponents. Very little "Roleplaying" may be involved.
I
J
K
L
M
MMORPG - Massively Multi-Player Online Role Playing Game
Module - A standalone, self contained adventure published for a particular game system
Monty Haul - Named after the TV Show moderator from Let's Make a Deal. A Monty Haul campaign is known for the excessive awarding of gold, money or items to a playing group.
MUD - Multi User Dungeon. The text predecessor to MMORPGs. Also MOO and MUSH.
N
NPC - Non Player Character. This is a character in a gaming session controlled by the Game Master or a Player. that the Players do not have ultimate control over
O
P
Player - A person who plays a game
Q
R
RPG - Role Playing Game
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
AD&D - Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
B
C
Character - A persona run within a game by a Player
D
D&D - Dungeons and Dragons
E
F
G
Game Master (GM) - The person who runs an adventure group. Also called Dungeon Master, Narrator, Role Master, and other terms. The ultimate arbiter of what happens in the course of a gaming session.
H
Hack n Slash - An adventure that consists of little more than hacking and slashing a series of monsters and opponents. Very little "Roleplaying" may be involved.
I
J
K
L
M
MMORPG - Massively Multi-Player Online Role Playing Game
Module - A standalone, self contained adventure published for a particular game system
Monty Haul - Named after the TV Show moderator from Let's Make a Deal. A Monty Haul campaign is known for the excessive awarding of gold, money or items to a playing group.
MUD - Multi User Dungeon. The text predecessor to MMORPGs. Also MOO and MUSH.
N
NPC - Non Player Character. This is a character in a gaming session controlled by the Game Master or a Player. that the Players do not have ultimate control over
O
P
Player - A person who plays a game
Q
R
RPG - Role Playing Game
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Star Frontiers
Star Frontiers is a science fiction based RPG published by TSR in 1982.
Overview of Game
Character Creation
Players roll their characters up using a simple d100 for each of the main attributes: Strength, Stamina, Dexterity, Reaction Speed, Initiative, Intuition, Logic, Personality and Leadership. They had several races to choose from: Human, Dralasites,Vrusk, and Yazirians. This was from the basic rules, with the expanded rules adding Sathar as a possible race reserved mostly for NPCs.
Classes
There are no classes in Star Frontiers, but rather a simple skill system based on Military, Technology, and Biosocial skills. The closest to a "class" is the selection of a primary skill area from the three lists.
The Game System
Original Star Frontiers Alp
The original box set came with everything needed to start your characters and have a starting adventure. It came in a blue box with sci-fi figures (2 humans and a Yazarian) in front of a crashed spaceship. The box included the basic rulebook, expanded rulebook, first module (SF-0, Crash on Volturnus), 2 maps (Spaceship detail/Volturnus and a generic spaceport), counters and 2 dice (d10).
Star Frontiers (Alpha Dawn) [BOX SET]
After the success of the original game, expansions started being released, and the original boxed set was renamed Alpha Dawn. While the box set contained rules for character based play, there were no detailed rules for spaceships.
Star Frontiers: Knight Hawks (Boxed Set)
Knight Hawks remedied the lack of rules for starships, and contained a similar set of items as the Alpha Dawn box set: Rulebook, Adventure (SFKH-0: Warriors of White Light), map, counters and dice.
Overview of Game
Character Creation
Players roll their characters up using a simple d100 for each of the main attributes: Strength, Stamina, Dexterity, Reaction Speed, Initiative, Intuition, Logic, Personality and Leadership. They had several races to choose from: Human, Dralasites,Vrusk, and Yazirians. This was from the basic rules, with the expanded rules adding Sathar as a possible race reserved mostly for NPCs.
Classes
There are no classes in Star Frontiers, but rather a simple skill system based on Military, Technology, and Biosocial skills. The closest to a "class" is the selection of a primary skill area from the three lists.
The Game System
Original Star Frontiers Alp
The original box set came with everything needed to start your characters and have a starting adventure. It came in a blue box with sci-fi figures (2 humans and a Yazarian) in front of a crashed spaceship. The box included the basic rulebook, expanded rulebook, first module (SF-0, Crash on Volturnus), 2 maps (Spaceship detail/Volturnus and a generic spaceport), counters and 2 dice (d10).
Star Frontiers (Alpha Dawn) [BOX SET]
After the success of the original game, expansions started being released, and the original boxed set was renamed Alpha Dawn. While the box set contained rules for character based play, there were no detailed rules for spaceships.
Star Frontiers: Knight Hawks (Boxed Set)
Knight Hawks remedied the lack of rules for starships, and contained a similar set of items as the Alpha Dawn box set: Rulebook, Adventure (SFKH-0: Warriors of White Light), map, counters and dice.
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