Here’s a quick update on what Dungeon Age materials will definitely be coming out this year.
One-shot dungeons galore!
First up, I have a series of one-shot collections called Wicked Little Delves.
- Volume 1 – Levels 1, 2, and 3
- Volume 2 – Levels 4, 5, and 6
- Volume 3 – Levels 7, 8 and 9
Features:
- A set of (mostly) linear 9-room dungeons designed to make solid one-shots, or to be incorporated into a larger campaign. Why do I keep writing these? Because they make for good one-shots, which I play a lot. Also it’s a good format for hammering on one evocative theme. But I know this is not everyone’s cup of tea.
- Each delve features just one unique monster. Why? Because encountering one new monster over and over gives the GM time to show off the creature’s complex abilities (a lot more than just “claw” and “bite”!). It also gives the PCs time to learn how best to avoid or defeat the creature. This lets everyone feel more effective while only giving them one thing to deal with (more fun for less mental work!).
- Every room/area is crammed with interactive objects and/or weird social encounters.
- Monster stats provided for Fifth Edition, Old School Essentials, and Into the Odd.
Status: All written, with playtesting in progress (and going well!), needs art
A big ‘ole fantasy city!
Next up, for those who are sick of my little linear one-shot dungeons, I have a hideously detailed sprawling fantasy metropolis called Titan Rat City (maybe, we’ll see). This is the city of Carcassay, the setting of Lawless Rogues, mentioned in other Dungeon Age stuff (somewhere). It’s basically my Lankhmar or Zamora, a weird city of thieves and magicians inside the corpse of a giant rat.
Features:
- Over 90 detailed locations in and around the city, spread across 4 districts, each location offering at least one unique quest hook and weird reward, many of which clearly tie into other locations in the city to help the GM make things happen.
- A ridiculous number of factions: knights, mercenaries, Chaos cults, Lawful temples, guilds, foreign embassies, artist collectives, colonizing monsters… there’s a lot.
- At least 3 layers of distinct dungeons under the city, the intention being that the GM can continue to place an unlimited number of other dungeon layers down there too.
- This is the setting I ran last year for a huge cast of rotating players in an attempt at a West Marches -style gaming group. It was hugely fun, and extremely weird.
Status: Converting notes into a proper document, playtesting complete, needs art
Mere twinkles in my eye!
- There is a direct sequel to Witches of Frostwyck in my files, that was written and played ages ago, about vampires and werewolves. It’s very Castlevania. If I have the energy after TRC, this could happen next year.
- I have concept notes for a bunch of solo RPGs, but I’m not sure if I’m passionate about any of them right now.
- I have notes for a bunch of traditional adventures, similar to the early DA stuff like The Obsidian Keep, that I hope to get to … eventually.
Any questions? Suggestions? Cruel insults that you don’t really need to lob at me but feel the need to anyway?
