How to solve our problem?

I recalled Gary Gygax’s Tomb of Horrors. It’s less an out-right campaign adventure and more of a “See how long you can last” challenge. There were a few other stories I heard from Ernie about the Dungeon Hobby Shop where people would drop in and just want a quick game for various reasons. We needed a solution that let us drop in, game, and if others were an hour late or didn’t come, we could still have a game.

The Inspiration

In 1925 Yves Tanguy, Jacques Prévert, André Breton and Marcel Duchamp created an art exercise called “The Exquisite Corpse”. A paper is folded into thirds. The first artist draws on the top, folds it to hide the section leaving only small hints to end lines for the next artist, and likewise for the third. The end creation is a surreal and abstract whole creation. I knew Herman wanted to get a break from GMing and I was getting my fill of waiting for people to maybe or maybe not arrive.

We threw most ideas of an on-going campaign out the window. We also threw large portions of organized adventure out the window. It was decided that we’d have a blank slate world with just some core elements. Similar to my Lands of Lunacy setting, we’d embrace the chaos void. Characters would be allowed to drop in and out without story-logic explanation. If nothing else, a chaos shadow would sweep away the character. 

Game Masters can rotate at any time or at any natural pause. The GM (previously a player or guest) after the first one has the little story threads left to pull and create a game in an improv fashion. The world as a whole gets built one hex a time as each GM establishes new things. GMs can even rotate mid-dungeon if they like. The end larger creation ends up being an  adventure and campaign. Even if it’s a bit ‘abstract’ it still creates the game world.

Characters and Levels

We are keeping a stack of Pre-Gens available. Players can also generate one on site, but the game continues while they work. Generally speaking, the party has an “adventurer level” as we move along and each GM picks up the torch. As players drop in and out some level adjustments need to be made.

Running on Improv

Running an improv adventure is a real challenge, but in the Exquisite Dungeon a GM can run as few as a handful of encounters or as many as a few sessions. The GM can run off-the-cuff, a portion of a module, or something they googled during the break. In some way it should make sense according to the story threads of the previous GM.

This removes a lot of GM pressure and allows us to game with new visitors to the shop and regulars. We also get to keep our gaming muscles active and ideas flowing. One of the core reasons for us playing more is to become more familiar with the 5E system and its nuances. If your group tries the Exquisite Dungeon approach, I’d be interested in hearing about it below.

~Lloyd Metcalf

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This week all Fail Squad Games paperback modules are just $10. Even the full color specials – Time to clear the shelves and make room for new stuff!

Lands of Lunacy, 1E, 5E, All print module adventures are just TEN BUCKS this week! Some of these won’t be back once they are sold out, so grab them all while they are on sale.

Go to the store and get them in your basket now!

*All except Those Dam Goblins*

You can find the all at the FSG online store.

The post All for Ten Bucks appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

This year we will revisit tea stains, but jump to paint perhaps. Revisit this page as we make plans and prepare.

The post Gary Con X Artist Gathering appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

Raven Metcalf

Daughter of Lloyd Metcalf, and artist for Fail Squad Games has FINALLY opened up to taking contract commissions for black & White work!

Her work for Fail Squad Games will be picking up, so get your requests in before commissions close.

If you are a gamer, an indie or incorporated publisher, or just like her work, you can now Contact Raven using the form below for your illustration needs.

 
[contact-form-7]

The post Raven Metcalf – Artist appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

Went live, and immediately funded just a few hours into launch! It has now exceeded 200% of the mark and is growing. This was a quick running project for a single session module that may be driopped in the MIDDLE of your current adventure for level 3 players!
BACK IT NOW!

It is the first official module for Lands of Lunacy and the clock is ticking!

It is expected that you will have the Lands of Lunacy Setting Guide when you play this adventure. fitting it in without the setting is easy enough, if you skip over all the fun challenges of playing the Lands of Lunacy.

Have no fear, there are bundles where you can get your copy WITH the Winter Eternal adventure if you need one. This adventure puts the cleric (Or divine character) in the driver’s seat. While not necessary, it is more fun with a cleric!

This is going out as a FULL COLOR adventure module on premium paper! yeah, you want this at your table.

Back it now!! This is a short run Kickstarter, it won’t last long! and you can get it for a Fiver!

The post Winter Eternal – for Lands of Lunacy appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

Give them the cards they want, the cards they DESERVE… greeting cards

Loaded with ADVENTURE!

Right now Fail Squad Games has ALL greeting cards on sale, that even includes the MICROQUEST CARDS which are RPG adventures in Greeting card form!!

You don’t need to run around on Black Friday for the perfect gift or give the perfect gift but a REALLY crappy card with some cat in a stocking! Give them a Giant in his ruins, or Santa vs. the White Dragon, or the complete Micro Quest Card SET! 6 adventures!!! 6 Greeting cards!

Click here to GET YOURS NOW!

This sale won’t last forever, and you can’t just give the same old greeting cards this holiday! I mean, don’t you like your friends? Doesn’t your DM spare your life at least once in a while?

You know that Ogre Magi would have messed you up!

Show your DM and players some love, Shop the Fail Squad Games site, sit back and enjoy the praise!

The post Are you giving crappy greeting cards? appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

CLICK here to shop all the great Fail Squad Games products.

Then when it’s time to check out, enter the code Spooky in the coupon field and 15% will come right off the top of each and every product in your webcart!

What are you waiting for? get on over to the Fail Squad Games webstore and load up on all the adventure!

The post Spooky Sale From now until Halloween appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

September 11 1977

September 11 of that year saw thew release of Atari’s VCS (2600).  It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and ROM cartridges containing game code, a format first used with the Fairchild Channel F video game console in 1976.

The unit was originally priced at US$199 ($777 adjusted for inflation), and shipped with two joysticks and a Combat cartridge (eight additional games were available at launch and sold separately).

So while there were some tragic events that have come to pass on September 11th in our history, not all those event were tragic. I personally recall many days sitting at my school desk, or in detention for day-dreaming of the day that I might have my hands on an Atari 2600. Then one day in the very early 80’s I did – and nothing was ever the same again!

The console released with only eight games available, and they ALL flew off the shelves. Only PONG preceded this cutting edge device (1974). The VCS console brought multiple games that were recognized in the arcades directly into the homes of consumers.

The post September 11 has another event worthy of memory appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

Like Curse of the White Mine, I felt an obligation to find stretch goals and other things, but also like the Curse of the White Mine, I wanted to Keep it simple so delivery wouldn’t get complicated.

A lot of work went into turning The Bogey of Swindle into a full size module and 5E from an OSRIC digest one-sitting mod. The adventure is completely fresh and barely recognizable. A number of new characters have been added, the boss re-imagined, and no stone left unturned, then many new ones added in for good measure.

When I brought Curse of the White Mine to conventions, a lot of people were telling me they missed the old fashion AD&D module feel. They weren’t keen on the full color page splashes and the fancy things I thought were “neat”. The gamers who did like the full color layout, could have gone either way really.
As an old-school guy who really enjoys the nostalgia, I get it, I really do. I wanted to bring that old school feel to this adventure, but produce a 5E quest for the Old School DMs who were playing 5E. All but a couple of illustrations were done by me in old fashion pen and ink on paper. Maps included.

This module is complete and ready to go to print. I hope you consider supporting the Old School feel in the Emperor’s new clothes (5E) and let the world know that OSR can also be alive in 5E.

~Lloyd M

Click here to BACK NOW (Ends July 16th)

The post The Bogey of Brindle Launches, Funds & Thrives appeared first on Fail Squad Games.

The writing is complete! The maps are complete! Some of the illustrations are ready…. We now enter LAYOUT!

The Bogey of Brindle, the Fail Squad Games re-write and edition migration of “The Bogey of Swindle” is nearing completion. The writing is all tied up and edited, tested, ready to roll. The maps will all be HAND DRAWN pen & Ink, as will the illustrations on the inside. This project is MEANT to be OLD SCHOOL in feel but headed to your 5E table!

A LOT of work has gone into this project, and nothing has been left untouched. This will be a full size module that is ready for multiple game sessions. WAY more than just a re-do of a short clumsy mod when we first started.

Why do you care if it’s entering layout?

Because that means the Kickstarter is about to launch. Once the illustration and layout is complete, and the files are ready to send to the printer, The kickstarter to fund production will launch… and you will WANT to be in on this one!

You will have this adventure in your hands before Halloween, which is the PRIME opportunity to bring it to your gaming table!

We hope to Launch as early as next week – get ready!

The post Bogey of Brindle Enters Layout appeared first on Fail Squad Games.