Free GM Resource: The Forge (via the Wayback Machine)

I often find the best stuff when randomly thread-hopping on the interwebs, poking around the various nooks & crannies of scattered URLs.

This week I had the good stuff find me!

Last week I did a small review of The Cozy Hearth Inn. I was a little perplexed that it wasn't a lead-in to a larger product line, but I didn't put too much thought into it because I really liked it. The only dating for the product was the old 2000 Open Gaming License "stuff" and the last update on DriveThruRPG of September 2013. Imagine my surprise when I'm told a) this is over ten years old and b) The Forge is no more.......but.....

....Thanks to the Level 27 Geek I have a link to the appropriate Internet Archive Wayback Machine page to where all the rest of The Forges free goodies were kept! Honestly, I would have NEVER found this on my own.....heck I didn't even know it was "out there" to find!

I'm still going through the 14 downloads, but I'm impressed by what I've seen so far. Thanks to Level 27 Geek for this find!

Frugal GM Review: The Cozy Hearth Inn

I'll be the first to admit I'm not usually impressed with d20, but The Cozy Hearth Inn, from The Forge Studios, was a great little supplement easily adapted to any RPG.

For some reason I thought this was a free preview of an upcoming product series, but I guess it is just a free supplement. Too bad, because I really liked how this turned out.

Aside from the great exterior shot shown in this post's lead-in graphic, The Cozy Hearth Inn has three great floorplan drawings, one for each level of the building. There is a brief, but detailed-just-enough description of each floor as well as the four NPCs that can be found here normally. Sure, the NPCs are statted for d20, but that is easily remedied and/or ignored. A bonus is a quick encounter hook to get the PCs involved.

HUGE to me is the simple fact that the PDF wasn't locked down. I could actually pull out the graphics and manipulate them just enough to use in a VTT.

The only nit-picky gripe I could even come up with....and this was an effort on my part, was that there doesn't appear to be any means for the cook to....well, cook, in the kitchen. If you read the description on the cook you'd see why he wouldn't be using the central fireplace.

The Cozy Hearth Inn is a great little supplement that my players will be using at a future game. If this is any indication of the quality of product that The Forge Studios puts out, I'll definitely be adding more of their offerings in my online cart.

Free GM Resource: Hand Drawn Map Association

I like maps.....I like to draw maps.....the problem is I cannot draw worth a damn. Meh, I'll draw maps anyway. Maybe I'll get better, maybe I won't.

In-game I find two good uses for hand-drawn maps: For the GM and for the players.

As a GM I love a good map to go with my adventure. The whole "picture is worth 1000 words" rings true so often. In general I find my map needs as a GM are pretty strict because I need to use it as a tool to guide the adventure for the group.

As a player I really dig a map as a handout. Cool props make a game more interesting, as long as they aren't overused. Getting a prop/handout often requires a lot of effort on the GM's part, especially if they have to make one up during their prep time.

"A lot of effort" can mean time, but it can also mean inspiration. The Hand Drawn Map Association can really help. Essentially a large collection of hand-drawn maps that you can see online, they've just put out their first book (on their website, click on the source for the graphic above, or use this link).

I've found the HDMA a great resource for seeing different styles of (often) real maps. If nothing else, it makes me feel better about my own chicken-scratches......

Maps for Heroes

OK, this is just a cool idea and I have to share it where I can.

An Internet Associate of mine.....I don't have a better way of putting it, likes to draw maps. I like to draw maps too, but he's just much better at it. I used to be in the military, working with the Army, but he's actually in the Army. I like to think I do things to help others, but once again I find myself falling a bit short in comparison.

I'm OK with that as I've learned I have nothing to gain by comparing myself to other's standards, but enough about me.....

Matt Jackson has decided to put together a cool little fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project. It is a cool organization (though I wish they wouldn't limit themselves to just helping post 9/11) and Matt decided to organize a bunch of respected RPG map-makers to contribute a map for his fundraising campaign:

+Mike Schley 

+Carl Bussler 

+Gus L 

+Simon Forster 

+Monkeyblood's Model & Map Mayhem 

+Rob Conley 

+Logan Knight 

+Tim Shorts

Now putting together this effort is cool enough on his own, but Matt has also decided to donate any of the July proceeds from his Patreon campaign to the fundraiser as well. The goal is $1K, very reasonable.

I'll go one step further than just suggesting a donation.....I think you should donate at least $8. Eight map-makers, at least eight maps, at least $1 a map. Totally reasonable and it will only take 125 of us...maximum..to make that goal.

Come on....you do have $8 lying around, right? It is totally a Win-Win here.... 

Frugal GM Review: Gygax Magazine #4

This last week I've had the dubious "pleasure" of having to restore and attempt to re-organize a ton of my RPG files from a couple of backups after a computer crash. As I was filing away my collection of RPG Periodicals I discovered I didn't have Gygax Magazine #4...yet.

A quick trip to DriveThruRPG solved that issue and now I can review this latest issue.

Free GM Resource: Coat of Arms Designer from Inkwell Ideas

After playing with Inkwell Ideas' RPG Poster yesterday I decided to poke around their site some more. I didn't realize they made the Hexographer program, as well as a few other cool programs.

One program that you might not find frequent use for is their Coat of Arms Design Studio. There is a free version and a more robust paid version. I played with the free version a bit and while it worked fine, albeit a bit slow, for my needs that isn't the whole usefulness of this design studio.

If you've ever thought of designing a coat of arms for your campaign the various terms for the assorted aspects of a coat of arms gets real confusing fast. I don't know about you, but I don't necessarily need a comprehensive guide to the in-depth meanings of each individual aspect, I just need to know what they are. What the heck is the fess? A Sinister Baton? Do I want anything sinister....? I just need some basic explanations and there is a great drop-down primer on heraldry basics. Anything more and I can go straight to the source: A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies and Illustrated by Graham Johnston, originally published 1909.

Frugal GM's One Day Sale!

Today is a "special" day for me....I'll let you guess, but for one day I'm making the Frugal GM's already inexpensive offerings 43% off at Drive Thru RPG.

Interesting RPG System Map

I woke up way too early this AM and thought I'd get a head-start on tomorrow's post, but I ended up just doing some random link-hopping, which is often a pleasant pastime unto itself. One place I ended up on is Inkwell Ideas, specifically on their Tabletop RPG Poster page.

Basically it is a 2' x 3' poster of just about every RPG out there right now. I'm sure it is missing some and the organization needs a little work, at least for my preferred games, but my games are in there. Unless you've played them all you are bound to miss some/misplace some. Of course this is only as current as 2012.

The poster is $14, which is a good deal if you've ever priced out getting 6 square feet of full-color map printed. It also comes with a pack of stickers marking what games you've played (or maybe would like to play?). You could also use this map to try and pick a new game to try. For some gaming groups the $14 would be well spent if it cuts down the decision time on selecting a new system to try.

I didn't think I've played many different games, but when I plotted it out I was a bit surprised. This won't blow up enough to see the games, so you should just head on over to Inkwell Ideas to see the map for yourself.