Many folks hate 5E's "death saves," preferring "0 HP = dead." But honestly I've always thought death saves make sense. People can linger for minutes, hours, even days with lethal injuries before dying. It's the rate of recovery and lack of consequence that's the issue, imo.
#dnd
I figured we're close enough, so until Friday, I've made our Wilderkind book free on DriveThruRPG! This is our newest book, for Castles & Crusades. We wanted to expand our Redwall-like character options and make them palatable to old-school DMs and players. Link below!
#ttrpgs
Our Dungeon Synth album, Book of the Black Rose, is now on Bandcamp! Check it out in the comments below. We made it to accompany atmospheric adventure.
@Gemini_Echoes
, my co-author, put it together himself.
#dungeonsynth
#osr
#dnd
#ttrpgs
Aeres artist spotlight:
@sneakygnida
Mainly seen in our Padfoot Alley adventure but occasionally elsewhere, he understands our Redwall/Secret of NIMH aesthetic very well and could probably stand up to Bluth in his time. (Commissions might be closed.)
#ttrpgs
#indieartist
I know D&D is infamous for devolving into ridiculous situations, silliness, and shenanigans, but did you ever successfully run a campaign that was serious and gripping from beginning to end? Maybe with only light humor here and there? Were the players into it?
#dnd
#ttrpgs
Are you an OSR grognard who hates the idea of animal PCs in your parties? Would you rather hunt down ratfolk than let them at your table? Fear not! Check out our Wilderkind book for Castles & Crusades. Our beasts are inspired by old-school fantasy. You might be surprised!
#osr
I'm following 1300 TTRPG people, but I don't feel like a "member" of the D&D community. I feel like an outsider. I don't buy products, invest in Kickstarters, do Roll20, or post on forums. Maybe I should, but its tough. I'm all bottled up. So I'm sorry. :(
#ttrpgsolidarity
I don't believe it's possible to have a suitable Tolkien-like D&D campaign without modifying the game heavily. This goes for 1E as much as 5E. Magic must be limited. Races, limited. Classes, limited. Tolkien was low magic, high fantasy.
#dnd
#osr
#ttrpgs
The time is near... so near, it's stirring the blood in their veins!
Aeres is about to take a darker, more violent turn... but the dawn will come! Revolutionaries by
@sneakygnida
, one of the key factions in our upcoming sandbox city adventure.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#osr
#ratfolk
Are you folks annoyed or put off by players using video game terms in your games? I'm talking "tank," "DPS," "heals," "aggro," "zerging," "crowd control," etc. I have to admit it's a little irritating. My games aren't MMOs, dammit! But I try not to be a jerk about it.
#dnd
With our wilderkind expansion for
#castlesandcrusades
(and maybe 5E,) we want to turn that frown upside-down on your perception of animal characters. They aren't re-skinned humans. They should be treated carefully and with great consideration towards roleplaying!
#osr
#dnd
1/2
A sequel to best-selling ratfolk adventure Shadows of Padfoot Alley? But with AD&D compatible rules, factions, and domain-level play? Good rats, bad rats, and every rat in between? I don't see why not! (And no it's not just because I haven't used this cool art yet.)
#ttrpgs
#DnD
We're converting our entire first setting book to Castles & Crusades.
#castlesandcrusades
#dnd
#ttrpgs
. It'll probably take all year. But it'll be worth it! Our 2.0 book will be more old-school than before and OSR compatible. New cover art by
@GoranGligovic
#ralphbakshi
We’re broke. But if we hire you to make art for Aeres, we’ll pay you in money. Not crypto. Not “exposure.” Not an “I-owe-you” gambling on a successful Kickstarter. And your art won’t show up in an NFT. At least, never by our hands.
#ttrpgsolidarity
You thought I was done promoting rats just because we're moving to Castles & Crusades?! Hah, never! Explore Padfoot Alley, a micro setting and adventure designed for 2-3 sessions. You must play as ratfolk, humans need not apply! Link below.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#ratfolk
#thesecretofnimh
Aeres update, what's up? Still working on getting Astreas to Kickstarter backers. I apologize if this is slow, I took on a new job that's kicking my ass. After that, a Wilderkind splatbook (badgers yes?) More D&D material. And a full kaiju combat RPG. Stay tuned!
#ttrpgs
#dnd
I wasn't aware that there was an illustrated version of the Hobbit with artwork from the Rankin Bass production! I must get my hands on a copy!
#tolkien
If asked what "species" they are, a wilderkind of Aeres would cock their head in confusion. They prefer to be called "beasts," and it's perfectly polite to ask what type of beast they are; yet they're all of the same race, the race of the World Tree whose magic gave them birth.
The perfect D&D video game. Nothing can surpass it in my opinion. It is the ultimate convergence of old and new. Everything that came after it, from Neverwinter Nights to Baldur's Gate 3, is inferior.
#dnd
Our D&D world in the 90s wasn't diverse. It was all white metalhead guys until I got to college. I mean that's just the reality of it, and I'm not alone. But we would have never rejected anyone who wanted to play. Just like how we'll never leave this hobby.
#dnd
@ClownWorld_
Back there I could fly a gunship. I could drive a tank. I was in charge of million-dollar equipment. Back here I can't even hold a job parking cars! -John Rambo
Flash sale! Our ratfolk setting and adventure for 5E, "Shadows of Padfoot Alley," is now $0.99! Influenced by the Secret of NIMH and the Great Mouse Detective, you won't find a better or more polished ratfolk-themed book for D&D, I can assure you! Link below.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
Conan the Barbarian and Lord of the Rings fans have the same blood: a desire for high adventure, swashbuckling heroism, to explore strange and distant dungeons, and slay evil which needs to be slain. I see no necessary division between the two!
#tolkien
#swordandsorcery
#conan
Are you seeing the writing on the wall from WOTC and 5E/5.5E/6E or whatever they're doing? Are you bored with the same old thing? Check out Castles & Crusades. I'm not sponsored by them, but
@trolllordgames
has your back as a 5E or old school player!
#ttrpgs
#dnd
#osr
This was the vibe when we first started playing AD&D. Sure it quickly evolved and we took on more influence from Dragonlance, but the old tavern quest days were formative.
#dnd
#osr
I miss those old used book stores where you'd walk in and they'd have thousands and thousands of sci-fi and fantasy books jammed into huge shelves so tall you couldn't reach the top. And they were all like $2.50 for paperbacks. I got so many books from places like this.
I miss 50s/60s/70s fantasy. It had that atmosphere. Like, yes it could be political, whatever. But it understood authenticity. It didn't feel like fake corporate BS regurgitated by a board of directors. Even when it was made by big companies.
There will be no new races introduced in Aeres after the expansion pictured here. This is it! No more! However, we can and will expand on existing ones. I've always thought the dwarves were underused and could stand for a huge sandbox under-mountain adventure. :)
#dnd
#ttrpgs
I've launched an
#indiegogo
campaign to help finish our Wilderkind book! With 12 new Redwall-inspired races for both 5E and Castles & Crusades, there should be something for any player or DM to use! Link in the comments below!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#castlesandcrusades
#dnd5e
#redwall
As I flesh out the wilderkind for our next expansion, I've come to realize that Castles & Crusades by
@trolllordgames
seems to offer MORE flexibility than 5E. The PCs have more abilities than 5E and more interesting ones too. I wonder why?
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#castlesandcrusades
Are there any completely system agnostic supplements or settings out there that you know of (and enjoy?) I'm not talking about, "this is compatible with the OSR," I'm saying zero stats or rules at all. Factions, adventure hooks, religions, lore, even reaction charts.
#osr
#ttrpgs
Many of you have bought our book on DTRPG recently and we really appreciate that! If you liked it at all, I’m sure you would love our expansion, Shadows of Padfoot Alley, a complete ratfolk setting and adventure for 5E! Lavishly illustrated. Link below!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#dnd5e
I'm probably in the minority but I don't actually like dragons taking on human form and dicking around and doing political stuff. They are best when burning armies and towns or hoarding treasure with cruelty and vanity. Or if they're good, aloofness and ancient wisdom.
#dnd
I didn't publish Aeres to make money. Despite our Kickstarters, I've BARELY turned a profit. I just wanted to share the same world from our table in 1998 with everyone else, and bring back classic fantasy to a community that seemed to lack it. Slay the dragon!
#DnDBegone
#OpenDnD
#dnd5e
is trending. Lets say you play 5E. You just got into D&D. You like the Lord of the Rings. You like the Chronicles of Narnia. Even Conan. Maybe you're not totally into WOTC's settings or adventures. They don't have the "vibe." Check us out: the Chronicles of Aeres.
#dnd
A question to all of my grognard and OSR followers. If 5E had the *aesthetics* of the past, would you be on board? I feel like the rules themselves aren't antithetical to heroic adventure. Most systems need tweaking. It's the "zeitgeist" of the game that hurts it.
#dnd
#osr
In my first AD&D campaign, which lasted many years, I forbade the players from playing magic-users of any kind. Magic items were exceedingly rare. Their first encounter with one-ONE-Orc was a frightening and nearly deadly ordeal. 1/2
#dnd
#osr
#ttrpgs
Shadows of Padfoot Alley is free if you wish to download it, in memory of Shane MacGowan. We listened to the Pogues as we worked on it, drinking Jameson. I wrote a poem in the book which was influenced by the Pogues, and there are many Irish influences. Link below
#ttrpgs
#dnd
How do you deal with arresting, capturing, or imprisoning players? Most players, from what I've read and seen, hate to have no control over what happens to their characters. But, obviously, being captured should be possible, if not inevitable, in some scenarios.
#dnd
#osr
Witchfinders "disrupt" a cultist ritual in the woods near Irilon. The cultists' protestations will be officially noted into record, along with the other names they divulged. Art by
@Grimonomicon
#ttrpgs
#osr
#fantasyart
An underappreciated Paul Verhoeven movie that in some ways transcends the typical D&D-inspired medieval fantasy movies of the time. Plus it influenced
#Berserk
.
#Fantasymovies
Another awesome Basil Poledouris soundtrack, plus good
#ttrpg
ideas can still be gleaned from it.
I'm pretty okay with 5E's rules, but as I continue writing adventures, I'm starting to get annoyed with 5E's "social skills." Things like persuasion and intimidation used to be roleplaying opportunities between players and DMs, not just dice rolls. That's the easy way out.
#dnd
The Horg, a nightmarish and deadly army of mutated beasts. The prime evil of Astreas. In our next book, your party is always in danger of stumbling across the Horg in the wilderness, and they'll be a constant foil in our hex-grid adventure.
#dnd
#osr
#swordandsorcery
#ttrpgs
Want to play as Robin Hood? Or as Justin from the Secret of NIMH? You can with our Wilderkind expansion. Extensive rules for a ton of animal races, for Castles & Crusades. Our 5E setting book has them too, but this expands on them so much more!
#osr
#ttrpgs
Dear Castles & Crusades adventurers, would you like to play Redwall style PCs alongside humans, elfs, and dwarfs? Aeres is here! Our Wilderkind expansion includes 12 new races for both 5E and C&C. Don't worry: this is heroic adventure in the Brian Jacques vein.
#dnd
#osr
#redwall
Working on our next small book, about the Wilderkind of Aeres. An expansion of our core concepts, we intend to flesh out and re-tool 12 bestial races for both 5E and Castles & Crusades. These will be mythical archetypes with unique roleplaying characteristics!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
I like the concept in Obi-Wan where the villains trap the heroes by exploiting the fact that they can’t resist doing the right thing. Could be a strong adventure hook if the players are on board, and it demonstrates how alignment can still be important.
#dnd
Why does old-school D&D art seem more appealing than modern 3E+ D&D art? I think it has to do with the fact that it seems historical. Not accurate of course, but the kind of verisimilitude one might expect from say, Tolkien. This grants it authenticity and charm. 1/2
#dnd
#osr
Found at a library sale. I thought it might be a rare prototype at first, but it's not an official book. Turns out, it's a project by a guy named Chris Perkins to make his vision of "AD&D 3E," using C&C rules. But this is an unreleased 2008 beta? Rare for sure!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
Things I've heard called railroading, that aren't railroading:
1) Having pre-written NPC dialogue
2) Having narrative description
3) Having a "BBEG"
4) Having pre-written objectives
5) Having a time limit
Railroading = removing player agency and that's it.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#osr
Ravens are an eccentric wilderkind breed. They're mysterious and aloof until they get to know you; then, their incessant prattling might test a saint's patience. Yet, their ability to mimic actions they've seen before makes them valuable adventuring companions!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
Depictions of D&D in pop culture almost always keep it to 3 players and 1 DM. Some lovingly, some stupidly. But to be honest, this is my perfect table. A table has 4 sides: 3 players, 1 DM. A solid party mix. Anything less is inadequate; anything more, tedious. Just me though!
Argent Draconvir. Nearly mythological; few have ever laid eyes on one. Stalwart and heroic. Unrepentant slayers of goblins and orcs. Defenders of the innocent and adherents to the Old Code of honor and chivalry. Play as them in Aeres! New art by
@JMaximum993
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#og5e
Did you know we have a complete sword & sorcery campaign for 5E? Take up the mantle of kings & queens of a dark continent in a quest to save it from an evil sorceress. A swashbuckling open-ended adventure in the world of Aeres!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#swordandsorcery
We've gotten tons of followers recently, so I wanted to re-introduce ourselves! The Chronicles of Aeres is a complete 5E setting book with lots of nostalgic influences. I'll fill you in on where you can check it out, and why I think you'll enjoy it! 1/6
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#dnd5e
#osr
#gamera
is trending due to the anniversary of Gamera vs. Zigra. Although Gamera is mostly lampooned as a laughably cheesy underdog series to Godzilla, I still hold that the Heisei Gamera trilogy might be the best
#kaiju
film series of all time even better than
#monsterverse
!
"Cyber Monday" Sale! I'm a luddite who hates computers, but the Chronicles of Aeres handbook is still on sale for $29.99! Pick it up and get not only the PDF for free, but also the PDF of our ratfolk adventure expansion for free!
#dnd
#ttrpgs
#dnd5e
#ratfolk
Link below!
Trick or treating is like real life D&D for kids. Make a character that is decidedly not yourself. Go on an adventure. Collect treasure. And don't forget to check for traps. Return to town with experience.
When someone asks, "what are you favorite fantasy movies," I don't know why, but the LOTR trilogy and Harry Potter never come to mind. I guess because they don't stand alone. I always think of the Dark Crystal, Willow, the Princess Bride, Conan the Barbarian, etc.
Deep in an enchanted forest, the animal folk, who in Aeres are called wilderkind, gather at an old abandoned abbey, once dedicated to the Lord of Beasts in some bygone time. Now it's an oasis in the woodland for gladefolk of all kinds. Art by Max Wilson
#dnd
#redwall
#fantasyart
World map I drew for our D&D campaign. Aeres wasn't something I just vomited onto paper, it's always been a campaign with real players who shaped the fate of the world as I know it!
#dnd
#worldbuilding
#ttrpgs
It's been nearly 2k followers later since I posted this, so I figure it can stand a second run. This is the Aeres world map I drew for our campaign, which a version of made its way into our book. I'm not an artist by any means but I'm proud of it! Micron 05s used.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
“We really wanted to reinforce that all of the game’s races are just as flexible as humans when it comes to the range of culture and personality,” Jeremy Crawford said, in reference to Monsters of the Multiverse. In other words, they're just re-skinned humans.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
There will never be another fantasy movie like this. The Netflix sequel was good, but more streamlined and coherent, Hollywood-like. Jim Henson knew: a fairy tale is both dream and vision, ephemeral and strange but familiar, plucking at the harp-strings of the human experience.
Aeres was not originally about animal-folk or "beastfolk." It wasn't our intention and in fact, they're a much smaller part of our core setting than the other races. Humans are
#1
. But, we lean into it, because of their uniqueness and roleplaying opportunities.
#dnd
#ttrpgs
Short Rest healing is the worst rule in 5E, even worse than death saves. I believe my players agree. Yes, I could simply hand-wave it and say "you can't rest here," or I could homebrew it away. But playing 5E RAW, it killed all sense of tension in our last session.
#dnd
Guys. My account was compromised while I was asleep. I'm not a bot. You don't have to unfollow me. Just don't click the fake links that the hijacker sent. Sorry all this happened! Major, major pain in my ass.