itch.io

If you upload the .json into the Mausritter Item card studio, it will generate all of the item cards with the images. However, I will be adding a .pdf version of the item cards.

Thank you for the feedback, and I'm glad you and your players got to enjoy the adventure.

Excellent use of space and layout. The art and maps are stellar. I wish there were a few more proverbial buttons and levers for the party to mess with scattered throughout, but everything presented seems well thought out and in-line with the story. I especially appreciate that you took the time to discuss your inspirations on the project page. This is a standout entry.

The premise and execution of the environment are well in-line with the pulp sensibilities of Appendix N. The layout is clean, legible, and well-organized. The hub and spoke dungeon structure works well here. I don't think it detracts from the fun, but parties will likely catch on quick that "if we pull this lever, something is going to attack us." A party may struggle to justify staying after a few brutal combats knowing there are sure to be more. On the other hand, the Midas Ooze encounter is frankly genius; even if the party takes some casualties, I don't think they'll be too mad. Solid showing, here.

By the way, declaring OSE compatability and using the logo requires you to use the legal text (which I didn't see in the module or on the project page) from the TPL and to shoot them an email if you haven't done so already since this is for commercial use. You can still make your text creative commons, though.

The art and layout present a cohesive vibe, and I enjoy the variety of encounters/challenges presented throughout. I think a diagram of the library's layout would benefit this adventure greatly, even if only an example section considering how much the party is traversing a space that's extremely uniform. Thank you for sharing.

I think you need to be very careful at which tables/games you decide to utilize this concept with and how. It has strong storytelling potential and aligns suitably well with a setting framed around the traditional Law vs. Chaos setup; this is idea is prominent in Three Hearts and Three Lions and Moorcock's Elric series, both being prominently featured in Appendix N as part of the history of D&D. The warden's presence, in my opinion, should not be used to undercut the achievements of the party or make their victories feel hollow, but it should encourage them to think more deeply about their role in the setting's cosmology. However, because the warden is explicitly guarding a moral axis rather than an ethical one, the setting may have a natural tendency towards entropy until the warden is confronted.

If players pass through the world as questing heroes doing whatever they please in the moment, the warden will likely have little effect on their disparate, individual adventures, diluting the reason for including it as a mechanic. However, if players try to establish themselves as their power increases (i.e. domain-level play), they will be inherently opposed to the warden's will since they are now operating as a locus of law and stability. As long as there is a way to deal with the warden in a way where the party is able to make a meaningful choice, then there should be no issue. On the other hand, if booms and busts continue to occur regardless of their attempts at stabilization, they may become frustrated with what they perceive to be a lack of cosmological agency.

The presentation of this supplement is clean and easy to follow, no notes there.

Firstly, congrats on being featured in a recent review by RedMageGM, I quite enjoy his content. I think this adventure is furiously creative and introduces several random generation aspects that are novel and fun. The presentation is straightforward and thoughtfully organized, though the color gradient of the room features table is a little jarring. Mathematically, assuming we follow prep as written, it is important to note that average die rolls will result in room 7 containing the alternate entrance/exit (which works well considering it is on the opposite side of the dungeon) most often, but potential room contents will be the narcotics, brass bell, or tapestries more often than anything else except an empty room (equally likely). The same will occur with the potential occupants; they will end up clustering around room 11 (with none in rooms 17-20 outright). If I ran this, I would change those tables to a flat d20, or draw playing/tarot cards to eliminate repeat results. Otherwise, the art on show is phenomenal and I'm glad to see how much is on display for helping portray monsters and NPCs.  Nice work putting this together.

Clearly organized, high in flavor, and a near perfect economy of words. It almost feels like a pulpy cross between the start of Lest Darkness Fall and The Colour Out of Space (since we're speaking in Appendix N terms). This is a strong powder keg setup with the notable people involved, but I would have liked to see a few more proverbial (or literal) buttons and levers for the party to mess with in the "dungeon" itself. The modest usage of graphics is clean and inspiring. Exemplary entry. 

I agree with previous critique and praise, but I will add that the numbers on the maps need more contrast for increased legibility (just putting a small, light-colored circle behind them would be enough). Also, the Floral Treasures is a strong, memorable section for the truly unique effects you describe. Thanks for sharing.

This adventure is airtight; there's no ambiguity as to what's going on in each room, and everything is thoroughly described. The layout and map presentation are highly legible. I'm honestly not familiar with the Cypher System so I don't know how wordy modules need to be, but that's the only thing that stood out as a potential drawback. The language is accessible and useful anyway, so it does not detract from playability. I do also worry that being printed at the jam's intended size restrictions would make the text too small to read, but obviously there's no issues with the PDF itself. If I were to ever try this game, I would be mightily tempted to start here. Nice job.

I had actually done a lot of personal research on Appendix N prior to this game jam for a different project, and I wanted to share some resources and knowledge in case anyone was interested in exploring the topic further.

Where did it come from and who is on the list?

The original Appendix N comes from the tail end of the Advanced D&D Dungeon Master's Guide developed by Gary Gygax. An earlier version of this list actually appeared in Dragon Magazine #4, but it was expanded by the time of the official release in the DMG into the list we refer to today. Gygax cites here and in Dragon Magazine #95 the works of Jack Vance, Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt, Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, A. Merritt, and H. P. Lovecraft as the primary fictional influences on the development of the game. He actually goes out of his way to downplay the influence of fantasy genre titans like J. R. R. Tolkien and Michael Moorcock as "minimal" despite their now historic legacy, but he does give them a nod in the original list. The underdiscussed "little brother" of the appendix (though perhaps more comprehensive) is the Inspirational Source Material list featured at the back of Tom Moldvay's Basic D&D that was first published only a few years later. If you didn't know, for a time, two versions of D&D were being simultaneously published by TSR, and these two lists have a lot of overlap.

What is the list's influence on roleplaying games and literature today?

Many people continue to reference works from the original list as part of their inspiration for fantastic game ideas, and the concept of including an appendix of influential works still endures. Appendix N was reissued as Appendix E with the release of D&D's fifth edition Player's Handbook, now updated to include seminal works of speculative fiction published since the release of AD&D, best-fit titles for authors only mentioned by name in the original list, and some of the game designers' personal picks for major influences on the game's development. Other games, like The Electrum Archive and Vaults of Vaarn, include their own unique appendices of influences like books and other media, and some games like Hyperborea and Black Sword Hack are stylized as homages to specific works and subgenres featured in Appendix N. Goodman Games, the publisher of Dungeon Crawl Classics and many old-school 5e modules, maintains an active blog talking about the writings and ideas of the list's authors. As D&D and roleplaying have become cultural titans in their own right, some authors have flipped the script and used games as inspiration for their own writings.

TTRPGs and speculative fiction are basically in constant conversation, and Appendix N is a touchstone for this exchange. For example, after playing D&D with Gygax, Andre Norton (of Appendix N fame) wrote a novel inspired by the session: Quag Keep. Decades later, this book is listed as inspirational reading in the aforementioned 5e Appendix E. Another case is the influence of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories, which not only inspired the early tone and structure of D&D, but also led to the 1980s Conan films, which in turn were adapted into official D&D adventure modules. Circle of life, baby.

Man, that's a lot of books, but I want to try reading some. Where should I start?

Start wherever you like, but I also recommend perhaps reading a short story anthology to see which authors you might like to read more from. One of the latest and greatest in my opinion is the aptly named Appendix N, Revised and Expanded Edition: Weird Tales from the Roots of Dungeons & Dragon, featuring works by authors from the original list and their contemporaries. I also personally like Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird for its inclusion of a variety of swords-and-sorcery and horror stories from both classic and new authors. Weird Tales is a long-running pulp magazine where many of Appendix N's authors actually got their publishing start. If you wanted to look a little bit deeper into the history of the literature itself, I've heard good things about Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery. Lots of research has been done on the history of this subsection of literature and of the history of TTRPGs themselves, and a quick search yields a ton of rabbit holes, I promise.

Hopefully some of you find this topic interesting, and I hope it helps you discover something inspiring for yourself!

This is a tightly designed and cohesive adventure site, and though it falls somewhat outside the traditional Appendix N sword-and-sorcery/pulp aesthetic, it still has a strong sense of atmosphere. The Encounter Deck and Security Lock mechanics are clever, but I wonder if they’re a bit more complex than needed. Functionally, the encounter draws could be approximated with a d4 for type and a d10 for result (with some allowance for duplicates), and the math behind the lock mechanic boils down to a 1-in-6 chance of success if I read it correctly. A doofus like me prefers the least amount of prep possible.

Placing the core's restart behind a system that can permanently lock out the party feels potentially too punishing. A remote reset option (perhaps in a central security room) for fused locks would allow the party additional attempts at the expense of time/risk of encounters.

The layout, on the other hand, is a standout: stylized, full of character, and efficiently packed. Very little space feels wasted. Good work on this.

Classic heist premise for an adventure; a swashbuckling caper sounds like Appendix N to me. It seems like the map rooms may be missing labels to correspond to their descriptions, but I was mostly able to intuit where everything was. Personally, I would have also retained vertical continuity of the introduction and the Part One sections to reinforce the three column layout. Otherwise, there's a good spread of buttons and levers for the party even in such a small area. Thanks for sharing.

Well organized and well implemented. Compelling flavor and graphics throughout. Others here have mentioned some ways this module might be improved, but it truly is solid work. Thanks for sharing.

You cooked on the art with this one, honestly. The layout and formatting are instantly readable, and the pamphlet layout was a smart choice. I like the faction play, but I would have liked to see more of the colossus' inner workings revealed more plainly. For instance, are the Harbingers and the Clearsight Order on to something with their more esoteric beliefs? Also, I think a ticking clock mechanic would have been a good addition to ratchet up the tension and reward prepared/clever parties, but with enough prep time a good GM can create one anyway. Stellar work on this science fantasy entry.

A strange, doomed world fated to be changed by a magic sword? Yep, this is a BSH module for sure. The language of the premise is a little meandering, but reading the adventure itself is quite breezy; the locations and encounters seem fairly simple to run. As a fellow map doodler, I can appreciate how each location is focusing on the main action occurring there quite well. Looking at it makes me want to know what is happening there. Nice work.

Funnily enough, the first thing I thought of when reading through this was "this would make for a solid template for a Swyvers city." That system struggles with grounding the setting with a story in my opinion, but this adventure could act as a skeleton to build around. The graphic design elements are nicely integrated, and the layout is clean. Following the jam, I would encourage you to make a second editorial pass for typos and removing the duplicate entries of the South and East gates to reclaim a little space to use for either additional details or maybe a fun graphic of a Crimson Eye Curse victim. Thanks for sharing.

Good, old-fashioned gonzo wasteland shenanigans. I wish I had more time to look into my copy of GOZR. The faction interactivity and creatures are definitely the strongest part of this submission. I have a soft spot for science fantasy and this scratches a lot of itches. Nice work.

Man, this is serious in medias res. My only real concern is that this adventure seems to have only has two endings: Big win or colossal failure (probably a TPK). Many players are probably fine with this, some might not be. The linearity is a double-edged sword. Otherwise, the kitchen sink approach of stat blocks and tactical combat should be fun for an appropriately-levelled party wanting a cinematic experience. The mythic, monstrous tone is spot on for both your assigned title and the legacy of Appendix N. The art also ties everything together quite well.

Firstly, the illustrations in this are great; I wish there were more of those to admire. Everything is presented in a precise, straightforward manner. However, I feel like more time should have been spent on each of the individual islands. The prose is very tasteful, but from a playability perspective, it would be nice to have some additional details like suggested denizens, light levels, sense of size, etc. The consequences of the final puzzle are meaningful, but I feel like the wording of the description makes it harder to run on short notice. Overall, the adventure has a unique, ethereal feel that suits your assigned title well. 

A very surreal and interactive adventure. There's a few blips formatting-wise with the floating lines of text, but none of them are overly distracting; the four column spread layout with the map in the middle was a good choice overall. The entrance areas are a little brutal for my taste but they are tonally consistent with the adventure and ensure that players have to see things through in the dungeon itself. The map and the cover art work well as visual cues. NPCs with unique goals are always solid adventure fodder. Good work on this.

Definitely an odd and disturbing area, well-suited for the jam's inspiring subject matter. The room descriptions are evocative and unsettling in the best kind of way. The visual design and text layout are quite appealing, but it took me multiple passes to orient myself to what I was supposed to be envisioning. The meta-modularity aspect might be somewhat cumbersome and the rooms could benefit from even a brief map/diagram, but what is presented is flavorful and inspiring enough to make it workable. This is a memorable entry in my book for its approach and graphic design elements.

Clear, interactive, and flavorful. This is an admirable little sandbox for players to explore. The point crawl aspect is well-tailored to the types of environs presented. Good work on this.

A little pocket-sized bite of a hell of our own making. It's the type of speculative fiction you find in many of Appendix N's authors' works; this entry is right on the money. I didn't think I'd be seeing a lightweight game system amongst the jam's entries, but this one has a few good things going for it in terms of modularity and tone. I would love to see how you might have reorganized the negative/art space a little differently to flesh out the adventure sites a bit more.  Thanks for sharing.

I am stunned with how unique of a puzzle this is and how well you managed to tailor it to Shadowdark. Once I wrapped my head around it (could be me, could be the writing), I realized how easily you can slot this into an ongoing campaign. Don't think I didn't notice the Elder Scrolls font for the title, either. I feel about the design of this the way I hate my steaks cooked: well done.

I think with a little bit of thoughtful layout editing, this could pretty much fit in the jam's assigned parameters, so I'm not too worried about it being oversized. Always happy to see others take a whack at analogue art. This adventure has a weird, pulpy vibe (Appendix N's style through and through), but it could benefit from some legibility considerations; even a two column layout would go a long way in some places. Thanks for sharing.

Highly interactive, highly organized, and with stellar art to boot. Excellent work.

I quite enjoyed reading through this adventure. It oozes an otherworldly, folksy charm in a somewhat horrific kind of way. I would have liked to see some additional detailing on the maps to inspire encounter environs, but what is there is straightforward at least. I think this adventure would really benefit from being tied to some additional game mechanics like stat blocks or turn timers to communicate urgency and danger more clearly. My favorite part is the incredibly evocative cover art, but the introduction is a close second. Good work on this.

Micron pens and paper, actually. Thank you for taking a look.

So glad to hear your group got to brave the manor. It's also satisfying to see it translate to other OSR systems as intended. Thanks for sharing. 

Campaign finale or springboard for a multiverse of possibilities; ingenius. Old-school feel with a dash of weird. Well done.

Thank you kindly for the support. I hope your group enjoys exploring the manor, too.

This is reminiscent of Winter's Daughter; it stands apart mainly due to the dungeon ecosystem. The healing pool I'm sure will be divisive amongst players, but it helps to reinforce the theme and tone of the adventure.

The plebeians need to be able to look up and see their splendid opulence, of course. Thank you for the support.

Dense, creepy, and incredibly well organized. Great adventure designing-minds think alike I suppose when it comes to alchemists hiding horrible secrets in their basement. I only wish some of the negative space was populated with more great illustrations like the ones shown. Well done.

I'm glad you both enjoyed it and picked up on my conscious inclusions. Thank you.

Thank you very much for the kind sentiment.

I'm glad to hear it, I hope you have fun with it.

I agree with everything that SoulEcho laid out so thoughtfully, but I will add that the maps that you have included are impeccable for being able to run a game. The surrounding text could be laid out more exactly, but everything about the layout and contents of each room is very sharp.

Thank you for the kind words. I'm still developing my graphic design skills, and it's encouraging that you enjoy my choices.