itch.io

This is a creative adventure with a strong theme that feels very much at home in the Appendix N tradition of weird fantasy. The premise of a keep haunted by a sentient dreamhaze spilling from a rift is a great hook. A very well crafted and inspiring adventure. Bravo!

This is a fantastic adventure with a great deal of charm. The hand-drawn, comic-book style artwork is the standout feature and gives the entire zine a unique and memorable personality; the meta-sketch on the final page is a particularly fun and whimsical. The writing is clear, the hook is a classic, and the simple map and job list make it very easy to run at the table. A fun and thematically consistent adventure, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Great work as always! 

The Travelling Museum of Illusion is a wonderful and memorable setting for a dungeon crawl. The central mystery of the shapeshifting Yaksha is a great hook that creates a strong sense of paranoia and intrigue, forcing players to question who they can trust. The design makes excellent use of its theme, with clever, illusion-based puzzles like the dark glass mirror and the trick hallway. Well done! 

This is a fantastic swords & science adventure that perfectly captures a classic Appendix N feel. The writing is clear, the hook is great, and the unique setting where arcane magic is a form of technology is well-established. The dungeon design is a real highlight; the environmental mystery of the harsh crackling sound is a brilliant touch that builds intrigue.

This is a fantastic sewer-crawl that perfectly blends modern urban horror with classic dungeon-delving. The writing is clear and the hook is excellent, immediately building a sense of mystery. The layout is clean and the map is clear, functional, and atmospheric. The random tables for environmental hazards and encounter twists are a great touch that makes the adventure feel dynamic and replayable. While the 1960s setting is a step away from traditional fantasy, the core concept of a strange, serpentine cult festering beneath a city is a great horror premise that feels right at home with pulp fiction.

You are very welcome. Your adventure was a really memorable entry in the jam, and it was a pleasure to take the time to give it proper feedback.

Thank you for the wonderful feedback! That cohesive feeling was a key goal; I designed the time-based mechanics as a feedback loop to create interesting dynamics from the players' actions. I am thrilled that you think it is effective.

I completely get that. If you wanted to reissue this into a zine or book, you'd be contending with the void of no return. 

Thank you for the kind words; your feedback means a lot.

My main goal with the prose was to invoke the specific feeling of reading the classic Appendix N authors, so I am thrilled that the atmosphere and writing resonated with you. I am also glad you enjoyed the variety of shadow-kin; my aim was to make each one feel like a unique and unsettling threat.

Thank you for the incredibly kind and perceptive feedback. The comparison to Dark Souls is a huge compliment.

My goal was to use fragmented lore and moody naming conventions to create a specific, resonant atmosphere. I am happy that this approach was effective and that the adventure's tone resonated with you

This is a fantastic and evocative solo adventure that perfectly captures a classic folk-horror feel. The starting hooks are a real strength; by providing a clear motivation and starting equipment, they immediately settle you into the setting and the mystery.

The design for solo play is excellent. The stepped encounter die is a clever mechanic for escalating tension, and the goal of gathering clues to gain advantages in the final confrontation creates a strong and satisfying gameplay loop.

The layout is clean and easy to follow, making the entire document a concise and highly usable solo adventure. Well done! I fully intend to experience the full thing. 

This is a fantastic adventure that perfectly captures a whimsical, yet dangerous, Appendix N feel. The central premise of exploring the petrified guts of a dragon-wizard is a brilliant hook. The writing is a real highlight; its evocative and efficient prose, such as the yawning cave with its rough tongue of a path, guides the GM perfectly. The mechanics are cleverly tied to the anatomy, from the gusting lungs to the acidic stomach, making the dungeon feel like a living environment.

The art has a great charm, and the thematic map is a standout feature. The layout is clear, but the map is so effective it could easily serve as a centre-spread with the location keys arranged around it. This is a minor thought on an otherwise fun and thematically fitting adventure. Well done!

The quality of the submissions in this jam is so high that creating a shortlist would be an incredibly difficult task. There is a fantastic amount of talent on display. I don't envy the judges!

This is an adventure that perfectly captures the science-fantasy spirit of Appendix N, feeling like a story straight from Leigh Brackett. The writing is clear and evocative, establishing a great central mystery with the doppelgänger wizards, Malundro and Ordnulam. The layout is clean and highly usable; the pointcrawl map of Umbriel is easy to read, and all the necessary information is presented clearly. The art is also effective, adding to the module's old-school, astronomical feel. Bravo!

Thank you for the excellent feedback; I am thrilled the adventure's atmosphere resonated with you.

You have asked the perfect question about Pellen. The specific reasons why and where he first made his pact are deliberately left unwritten, intended as a hook for the GM to weave into their own world. The journal fragments, however, focus on the present: his growing torment and the tragic consequences of that unwritten choice.

Thank you; I am happy that you found the writing compelling and the adventure's haunting quality effective.

The subversion of the boss encounter was a central design goal. I wanted to replace the traditional evil archlord with a tragic anti-hero, much in the vein of Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné. Like Elric, Pellen is a character bound to a dark power, and his inescapable fate is a necessary ritualistic death. It is great to know that this approach landed well.

Thank you for the incredibly kind feedback; it is wonderful to read! 

I am thrilled you enjoyed the writing and the overall Appendix N feel. Please feel free to steal the Geometric Wraith for your Vaults of Vaarn game. I would be honoured to see it stalking amongst the shadows.

I included the clock mechanic to create a pressure pot of tension that builds directly from the players' actions within the Ossuary. I am glad you found it a useful tool for driving the action forward. Thank you again for your thoughtful comment!

Thank you for the kind and detailed feedback.

I am thrilled you enjoyed the GM-facing journal entries and the focus on a non-violent solution; creating a clear separation between player and GM information to make the adventure easy to run was a key design goal. I also appreciate the feedback on the background's readability and will experiment with some adjustments after the jam.

Thank you again for the thoughtful comment!

This is a brilliant adventure with a fantastic and grotesque central theme. The body-horror premise of an empress using skin and leech magic to prolong her life feels like a story straight out of Clark Ashton Smith, capturing the Appendix N spirit perfectly. The writing is clear and evocative, efficiently painting a grim picture of the Palaestra and its strange inhabitants, like the tragic spider-Primus and the determined former levy, Igrit. From a playability standpoint, the design is excellent; the wandering NPCs and the various clues, such as the way of bread, make the location feel like a dynamic and solvable puzzle. The entire adventure is also presented beautifully; the layout is clean, the art is evocative, and the map is both stylish and easy to read at the table. A very creative and elegantly designed module.

This is a brilliant adventure that perfectly executes a classic sword-and-sorcery heist. The premise of low-life thieves infiltrating a high-society ball to steal a powerful magical treasure is a fantastic concept that fits the Appendix N theme perfectly, feeling like a story straight out of Fritz Leiber or Jack Vance. The writing is clear and evocative, with the random tables for cover stories and the duke's treasure providing strong, immediate hooks.

From a playability standpoint, the cover stories are a standout feature, acting as both a mechanical starting package and a strong roleplaying prompt for the players. The random demeanour table for the honour guards is another great touch that makes the manse feel like a dynamic and living environment. The entire adventure is presented beautifully; the layout is clean and easy to parse, and the choice of public domain art by Anders Zorn is great, perfectly supporting the high-society theme. A very creative and well-designed heist!

Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. The focus on light was a deliberate choice. I wanted it to be both an implied resource for the players and a core mechanical weakness for the shadow-kin, so I am thrilled that aspect of the design resonated with you.

Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. The focus on light was a deliberate choice. I wanted it to be both an implied resource for the players and a core mechanical weakness for the shadow-kin, so I am thrilled that aspect of the design resonated with you.

Thank you for the very kind words. My main goal was to establish a strong, bleak mood through the prose and characterisation, so I am thrilled that it was effective. Using the cover as the map was a fun challenge, and I am glad you found it an impressive design choice.

Thank you so much. The prose was very important to me; my goal was to make Pellen's torment palpable for the reader.

Happy you got something from my suggestions! I'm glad I could help. 

This is a fantastic forestcrawl with a strong, melancholic atmosphere. The central premise, escorting an abbot to complete a ritual to contain an ancient evil is a great hook, and the mystery behind last year's failure adds a compelling layer of intrigue right from the start.

The design feels dynamic and dangerous. The pointcrawl map is clear and easy to read, and the art is very effective and adds to the adventure's distinctive charm. A very well-executed and inspiring submission. Well done!

This is a fantastic adventure premise that perfectly captures a weird, cosmic-horror feel. The backstory of the ancient war between the Vril-Ya and the Annunaki is a great piece of world-building.

The mechanics are very creative and tie directly into the theme. The Weather Reaction Table, which links the environment to specific mask expressions, is a brilliant and evocative idea. Forcing players to wear masks, like a crown of carrots or a potato with many eyes, or suffer damage is another great touch that reinforces the strange, surreal nature of the party.

The entire document is a great example of a concise and usable social horror scenario. Well done on a very creative submission!

This is a fantastic and highly creative submission that perfectly captures a weird-fantasy, Appendix N feel. The central premise of the Drekavac, an undead creature who curates and sells drugs made from monster parts, is a brilliant and memorable concept!

This is a fantastic adventure setting that perfectly captures a classic pulp, sword-and-sorcery feel. The backstory of the ape-god Barong, his usurpation of a cosmic entity, and the forging of the Obsidian Artifacts is a strong and evocative premise for any campaign.

The design provides a great sandbox for exploration. The factions are a real highlight; the conflicting goals of the ambitious Goblin King, the secretive Serpent Priestess, and the dutiful Ape Vampire Lord create a dynamic and dangerous political landscape for players to navigate. The random tables are also concise and useful, providing all the necessary tools to run an extended jungle crawl.

The entire document is a great example of a usable and inspiring adventure toolkit.

This is a fantastic adventure that perfectly captures a classic sword-and-sorcery, treasure-hunting feel. The opening hook: a tavern brawl over a mysterious map leading to a wish-granting gem is a brilliant. I think it is an effective way to start the action immediately.

The overland travel section is a real strength. The design encourages exploration by having players piece together clues to find the shrine's location, and the timeline for Blackguard Rafael's own progress adds a sense of urgency to the journey. The Lost Shrine of Tolmazan is also well-designed; the relationship between the ghast queen and her pet basilisk creates a particularly interesting and dynamic encounter.

The two-column layout is clean, and the public-domain art choices give the entire document a great, old-school zine aesthetic. A very clear and highly playable adventure. Well done!

This is a fantastic adventure with a great premise and a strong, consistent tone. Placing the pointcrawl map directly on the cover is an excellent and effective design choice.

The central quest—piecing together the history and the very skeleton of the Beggar Prince—is a brilliant puzzle that encourages thorough exploration. The NPCs are particularly memorable; the dynamic between the conniving plague spirit Čuma and the ghost distiller Maja adds a great layer of personality to the dungeon. The tarot-based event table is another standout feature, providing a rich set of evocative and dangerous encounters.

From a usability standpoint, the layout is clear, though the italicised introductory text is a little small and difficult to read. This is not an issue in the rest of the module, which is easy to parse. A very creative and well-executed adventure.

This is an excellent example of a weird-fantasy location. It perfectly captures the Appendix N spirit by presenting a classic scenario: a seemingly idyllic place, the healing stream, which hides a deadly secret in the Orchid Oubliette. The writing is clean and evocative, giving the GM just enough information to bring the location to life without being overly prescriptive.

From a playability standpoint, the design is fantastic. The multiple points of entry encourage player agency from the outset. The central conflict is not just about combat, but about a meaningful choice: taking the powerful Staff of the Healer has the direct consequence of destroying the very healing stream the region depends on. This is a great, memorable dilemma.

The layout is clean and easy to parse, with all the necessary information readily available. The simple, hand-drawn art is also very effective and adds to the adventure's zine-like, old-school charm. An inspiring and highly usable adventure. Well done!

The striking, high-contrast black and white artwork gives the adventure a great feel. The layout is clean, effective, and easy to parse at the table.

The central concept of a walking mountain is made even more interesting by the rotating rooms, which creates a dynamic and unpredictable dungeon. The internal conflict, with the bandits growing wary of their chaotic wizard employer, adds a good layer of social interaction. A very solid and playable design.

You know I completely missed that upon first reading! The block of red text perhaps has negative impact as the map is the same shade of red. I think the red pops more against black text, but this could just be a me thing than the general consensus. Regarding the second hook, "Rumors tell of a hoard of treasure...", the specific nature of the treasure is left open. While this offers flexibility, the hook might be more enticing if it hinted at a more specific or thematically memorable prize for the party to heist, something that ties directly into the "celebrators of sin" theme.

This is a creative adventure. The core concept of a forgotten, warmongering AI being mistaken for a fantasy beast is a fantastic premise that perfectly blends sci-fi and sword-and-sorcery. The writing is fun and does an excellent job of translating high-tech concepts into a mythological fantasy context.

The final choice presented to the players—whether to unleash the B.E.A.S.T. or let it sleep—is a wonderfully grim and impactful ending.

From a usability standpoint, the two-column layout on page two is a little cramped and difficult to parse. The flow of information between the room description, the glyph/litany box, and the general encounter table is not immediately clear. Placing each room's information in its own distinct section might improve readability at the table.

This is a very memorable and well-written adventure. Well done!

This is a brilliant and highly evocative adventure. The premise of entering Tartarus to petition thirteen strange wizards is a great hook that perfectly captures the Appendix N spirit. The descriptions of the layers as "psychedelic liminal spaces" are excellent and well-supported by the strange, dreamlike encounters.

The pointcrawl maps are a real highlight; their resemblance to constellations is a clever and thematic design choice. The entire document is a great example of a concise and usable adventure frame, packed with interesting ideas like the town crier who shouts rumours from the party's own past adventures.

The minimalist layout is clean, effective, and works perfectly with the module's overall style. Well done!

This is a fantastic and well-designed adventure. The central premise of an undead cult of bog mummies kidnapping villagers to cook meals they no longer eat is a great, weird-fantasy hook.

The standout feature is the rule of hours mechanic. Having the Acolytes move through the dungeon on a strict, predictable schedule makes the entire location feel like a living, dynamic puzzle rather than a static collection of rooms. It is a brilliant design that rewards clever players who observe and plan their approach.

The layout is clean, and the entire adventure is presented in a clear and usable way. Well done on a very creative submission!

This is a fantastic science-fantasy vault that perfectly captures the Vaults of Vaarn tone. The premise of exploring a decaying space station, complete with space walks and depressurisation hazards, is a great contrast to the typical desert setting.

The time-limit mechanic, driven by the station's decaying orbit, is an excellent way to create tension and drive the adventure forward. 

The entire document is well-presented, with a clear layout and a map that has a great, retro-computer aesthetic. Well done on a very creative submission!

This is a fantastic adventure frame. The central conflict between the Heavenly Hunt, the sorcerer Venecarus, and the Demon Wolf Karu-ebish creates a very dynamic and chaotic situation for players to navigate. The magic items are also a highlight; both the Divine Light of Malya and the Plate of Bahai are flavourful, mechanically interesting, and perfectly suited to the adventure's tone. Well done!