Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Appendix Nsipiration: Michael Whelan Elric Paintings

The next few inspirational posts (now called Appendix Nspiration, see what I did there?) will be devoted to the art of Michael Whelan. The first of these is truly drawn form Appendix N. Michael Whelan did a series of iconic covers for Michael Moorcock's Elric novels. Many of these are also recognizable by fans of 70's and 80's Metal, as they were picked up as album covers.
 
Elric himself holds a special place for me (though I presume this to be true of many old school gamers.) I have always identified strongly with the forlorn albino sorcerer, emperor of his people. He wasn't of the best health, needing special medicines to survive, when first we meet him. When I first read Elric of Melnibone I was young, and rarely in the best health. I was out of school several times a year for more than a week at a time with all manner of illnesses. I had an interest in the spiritual, the occult and all things fantasy. This character strongly appealed to me. Because of my interests, I was not looked on favorably by family or many of my classmates (though I had several loyal friends. Another common factor with this character. Elric's views were different than the dark society from which he sprang. My views were quite different from my peers as well. As I said, I strongly identified with this albino sorcerer. I love his exploits, and they shaped much of my early roleplaying experience, as much, if not more than Tolkien and Lloyd Alexander (more on these at another time.)
 
I was exposed to the art of the Brothers Hildebrandt at a very early age, though it wasn't until I was twelve that I truly began to discover (and devour) the are of Michael Whelan. Much of his art shaped my gaming at the same time as I was discovering Moorcock. So, it is that I give you a combination of the two, in today's Appendix Nspriration.
 








 

Friday, June 12, 2015

LAST CALL! U-Con 2015 OSR Track and Event Submission Info - FINAL UPDATE!

UPDATE! We are past our official deadline and extended deadline. This is LAST CALL for getting events submitted before pre-registration and ticket sales open! Get your events submitted by Thursday evening 9/17/2015 and I may still be able to get you in. Event submission officially ends on October 6th, but if your events are not registered by tomorrow night, your event will not be available during pre-registration for ticket sales or visability. So, if you have any ideas for a game at U-Con this year, get it in.


It's announcement time folks! It's official. The OSR Track at U-con in Ypsilanti Michigan is set to go this year! I will, again, be filling the roll of OSR Track Coordinator. Last year went very well and we had quite a draw for a first time track. I have been given permission to expand upon the old school gaming goodness that we can accept within the track this year (based partly on the discussion had during the roundtable that occurred in our seminar last year.) If you haven't listened to the seminar, go ahead right over here on Save or Die! 
 
 
With that in mind, I proudly announce that event submissions are officially open! Go ahead and register your events right here. If your event will qualify for the OSR Track (or any other tracks) please explicitly make that known in the comments box. I will be organizing the track events myself this year, so I will attempt to keep everyone's events precisely in the slot that they want to run in.
 
 
 
 
What qualifies as an OSR event this year? Well, let me tell you good people about the plethora of awesomeness that you can submit to me. Firstly we have D&D. But not all D&D of course (pssh, we have to have some type of integrity you know. Not to mention leaving some games for the other tracks.)
 
Official D&D:
All TSR Era D&D qualifies,
OD&D
AD&D
B/X
BECMI
AD&D 2nd Edition
Rules Cyclopedia
 
Other TSR Era Stuff:
Gamma World (TSR editions)
Boot Hill
Metamorphosis Alpha
Star Frontiers
Gangbusters
Top Secret
Alternity etc.
 
Other Early Era RPGs/Supplements:
Arduin
Early Chaosium products (RuneQuest, Elfquest, Sandy Petersen era Call of Cthulhu etc)
RuneQuest (yes I know I mentioned it before)
Tunnels & Trolls (all editions)
Dragonquest (all editions)
Traveller
Chivalry & Sorcery
Pacesetter System Games (Chill, Time Master etc.)
Did I mention RuneQuest?
Middle Earth Role Playing (I.C.E.)
Rolemaster (er... if you must?)
Spacemaster
The Complete Warlock
Rapier & Dagger
Cyborg Commando (Did he really just say Cyborg Commando?)
WEG D6 Star Wars
WEG D6 Ghostbusters
The Fantasy Trip
007
Pre 2000s Palladium Games (TMNT, Palladium RPG, early RIFTS etc)
 
If I missed your favorite, contact me and make sure, but it will likely be fine to run.
 
Retro-Clones:
Swords & Wizardry
OSRIC
Cryptworld
Labyrinth Lord
Mutant Future
Dark Dungeons
Delving Deeper
Blueholme
For Gold & Glory
Spellcraft & Swordplay etc.
 
Near Clones:
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Adventurer Conqueror King
Fantastic Heroes & Witchery
Castles & Crusades
White Star
X-Ploerers
Adventures Dark & Deep
Warriors of the Red Planet
Lamentations of the Flame Princess: Weird Fantasy Roleplaying Game etc.
 
Again, this list is hardly exhaustive regarding all of the great Old School RPGs in the world. If you have one you want to run and it isn't here, just let me know. Let's make this thing huge. I want to give your favorite Old School game a place to live and breathe.
 
 



Friday, June 5, 2015

Appendix Nspiration: The Brothers Hildebrandt Atlantis Calendar Art

It's been some time coming, but I am pleased to present you with the first of the Inspirational posts. It was my intent to do these as a Wednesday thing, but I thing that I'll just post them as inspiration hits. The first will also be the last of all things Hildebrandt for a while. So, without further ado, I give  you The Brothers Hildebrandt Atlantis 1982 Calendar in all of it's glory. Sword & Sorcery? Got it. Sword & Planet? Got it. 1950's era Sci Fi? It's there. Mammoths? Yep. Dinosaurs? Fuck yeah. It's all there. Maybe we should make a community campaign setting out of this thing. I think it would be a good White Box meets White Star game.