Free GM Resource: Google Books

 

Today's Free GM Resource is one of those things you may know about, but probably overlook even if you did because it's "there", but not heavily advertised.

Google Books is a great online resource for research and sometimes even for graphics if you're the type to comb through old public-domain works. Google has been working on digitizing old books for some time now and their results can show up in just about any old "regular" search, but most likely get glossed over.

I find it fascinating the kind of things you can uncover if you dig just a little bit. Today, for example, I found an old history book covering the formation of the county I went to High School in (and my folks still live). You'd think there is little to be learned from early 1800's that translate well to my OSR fantasy game.....but one of the things listed in the assorted townships of that county are the number of fraternal organizations and even partial rosters. Since I also have population data I can guesstimate what is an "appropriate" number of organizations, officers, and even members based on population size.

This actually answers a few questions I haven't even come up with yet for an upcoming project..........but it is just an off-the-cuff-example.

One thing you can do is limit your search to a particular date series or just a century. If it is public domain you can probably download a pretty good PDF of the book to comb through offline. Since I usually look at really old books that's where my experience lies....I would suggest that after your initial search you use some refinements to narrow down your results.

Free GM Resource: Crooked Staff Terrain 2.5D Tiles

 

Ugh.....I know, not another YouTube channel!

I get it......how many different ways can you see people making 3d terrain? Well, evidently at least one more. 

Until I stumbled upon Crooked Staff Terrain, I don't think I really thought about printing off the main decorations for the terrain and gluing it down. I already own a good selection, ok pretty much the entire catalog, of Fat Dragon Game's 2d terrain stuff (BTW, it's all on Cyber Monday sale today....), but I always thought of it as a stand-alone product, not something I could combine with a 3d terrain build. They're calling it the 2.5d terrain.

Now granted the folks at Crooked Staff Terrain aren't using FDG files, but they do offer some of their own decorations available as PWYW downloads....just check out the links in the YouTube notes.

Free GM Resource: RPG Themed Cookbook

Today is the Monday before Thanksgiving, 2020.....too early to freak out about the holiday cooking, but not too early that there isn't a lot to think about, prepare, and hopefully get your menu together so you can get what you need before the appointed cooking freakout time.

Today's Free GM Resource was inspired by the new WotC D&D cookbook that has just come out. Of course that cookbook isn't free and this offering is technically PWYW, and a year old already, but the place I found it was promoting is as "a FREE product for every fellow Ravenloft enthusiast!", so take it at their word or toss them a buck or two, your choice.

The fine folks at Mistfactor Press advertise Antonia Lúpri's Ravenloft Cookbook as containing:

          - Antonia Lúpri's Ravenloft Cookbook with art made by us.

          - The great NPC, Antonia Lúpri with her Statblock and lore background

          - 5 quest ideas that Antonia can give to your players

          - 18 food recipes that can be prepared for your players to enjoy an actual Ravenloft dinner while you play

          - 5 Dark Cocktail recipes to taste the dread!

          - A menu handout for your players to order what they desire and feel like they are in an actual restaurant!

          - 2 fully illustrated maps of the Cornucopia Tavern (DM's and player's version)

          - 20 Magical side effects accompanying each dish and drink. 

I liked this product and found it cool that the cookbook was separate from the handouts/GM aides, although the cookbook is only pages 10-24 of the main book, so you could just as easily print off the pages you need for the kitchen.

Like usual, click on the link/graphic above, or feel free to use this link.

Free GM Resource: The Magus Divlantia (Netbook)

 

After my home-groups' game this weekend my Magic User managed to get some new spells and I figured I might make up a custom spellbook so I could have a quick reference during the game without needing to open a full-on copy of the rulebook. Before I was going to start on this task I thought it'd be smart to do a quick interweb search and see if I could find anything already done as it's an OSR game.

Well I didn't find what I was wanting, but after too much link-hopping I came across this excellent rendition of an old netbook: The Magus Divlantia.

This netbook has been really well done and really reminds me of my old HackMaster game and if I had this 30 years ago I totally would've used it in my game! As is the nature of these things I'm not really sure who is hosting this file on their Google Drive, but I'm grateful for it and if nothing else, it's a great resource in general for an old-school rules game. If you haven't already seen all the books that this netbook used as reference material, the author listed them out starting on page 72. There's only one I don't have and should probably pick up.....

Free GM Resource: The Spudfield Good Girl (Freebie B/X mini adventure)

 

This week's Free GM Resource is technically a single thing, but you should really look at it as more of a twofer, or even a threefer!

The surface-level offering is a freebie adventure (for personal use, naturally) called The Spudfield Good Girl. I came across this via Facebook, but you really (hint, hint) need to poke around the Paths Particular blog.

There you'll find some cool art, a newsletter, and even some holy-crap-I-can-do-that! art tutorials. Seriously, just stop reading this post and head over there for while........I'll be here when you come back.

Free OSR Tweak & Toss Adventure Seed

 

I swear here in Oklahoma we had two days of fall....TWO! It was 90* Friday and today we have freezing sleet. I had to turn on the gas registers/heaters yesterday and I just want to curl up into a ball and not do anything for today's post....

....so I'm kind of phoning it in. Instead of a regular "Free GM Resource" this week I'm making a short adventure "thing" I made free for one week. I've already checked and nobody has bought one for this month so I don't have to feel guilty about that.

IF you use the link....and you have to use the link here, you can get the OSR location/mini adventure "thing" called The Horrors of Halfling Hollow for free.

It's an eight-page Tweak & Toss that might be a good seasonal stopping point for your party as they transition from one area to another. I suggest they stop by and try the Selsig......it's to die for.

Free GM Resource: WikiArt.org

 

I might be in the minority, but I find artwork important to my gaming experience. I like to use art to "punch up" my gaming projects, to show to my players as examples, and even as inspiration for sessions/games/adventures/etc.

A while ago I was on a huge Dutch Golden Age kick......I didn't know it was the Dutch Golden Age, I just knew I got a lot out of artists such as Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Actually Bruegel the Elder was Flemish and not part of the Dutch Golden Age, but bear with me as this is part of my point......

WikiArt.org is a wonderful website where you can view the works of so many artists. Do a search for a subject, artist, genre...whatever. Take a look at the results and then....start link hoping.

Example of links (in blue)

For me....that's it. I can hop through a bunch of different art and inevitably find something cool I can use.

What you do with the art once you've gotten here.....well, that's up to you. All I suggest is that you document/attribute your art appropriately. 

Free GM Resource: 5th Edition Spellbook Generator

 

So I was planning on bailing on this week's Free GM Resource....well, not bailing per se, but pushing back at least a few days. On my way home from work today I got my annual Flu shot and now I feel like I'm coming down with the flu. I've had this happen before, but not so quickly and not so strong. It's been only 3 hours now.....

Ugh....

This weekend I was looking to see if anyone had an OSR spellbook generator. I'm looking for something that actually prints out the spell info and the closest I found was something for Old School Essentials that randomly made a spellbook, but basically just listed name, level,, and where I can look up the info. Thing is....I don't want to look up the info. I want to just be able to see the spells I currently have in my spellbook and call it good.

Exactly like this Spellbook Generator for 5th Edition, which I thought I should share for those of you that might play that game. I like how you can select spells and then print off just your selection.

This is pretty good and I hope that one of my 12 13 regular readers can get some use out of it.