Free GM Resource: Epic Games

 

I know this half-a-week early, but I want to put this "out there" as a Free GM Resource: Epic Games.

Why share a video game company as a free resource? Well, 1st of all Epic Games is giving away a free game every day between now and the News Year Day. 2nd......playing games is fun and one sure-fire way to reduce the chance of straight-up burn-out is having fun playing other games.

Seriously though, sometimes an easy way to recoup, refresh as a GM to switch sides and play. Sometimes being able to sit-down at another RPG table is just not feasible, so switch things up and play some computer games instead.

Free GM Resource: Osher Map Library

 

I think it's been a while since I posted any online map collections.....and I lurve me some oldy-time maps for inspiration, and sometimes to actually use as a base for my own mapwork.

The Osher Map Library is a collection from the University of Southern Maine that had a mix of old and new maps. You can download the maps, but they are a "low" resolution. Actually the maps are like 400dpi, just on the small size, so if you need it on a screen you can resize it to a something "physically" larger.

At first glance, the Osher Map Library doesn't seem to be a decent online resource, especially if you select the obvious...and prominent "BROWSE MAPS" feature. What I found so much more useful was to do the almost-as-obvious "Search our Collection" feature. Once you have a selection of maps brought up by your search you have a bunch of options on the left side of the screen to dial-in your desired results.

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.