OSR News from the Underdark Gazette - Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Releases

The ZZZ Quick Guide to North America by Joseph Browning. Art by Claudio Pozas. Expeditious Retreat Press. Available in PDF for $5.00. 20 pages.

North America below the shattered moon is quite different than what the ancients would recognize. Great ruins dot the landscape from the East Coast to the Midcoast and all the way to the West Coast. The ZZZ Quick Guide to North America gives the traveling mutie a fast overview of any of the 100 known geo-political bodies below the shattered moon. This expansion explores the world of Sorcery & Super Science! and is a must-have for any player.

Pyramid of the Dragon by Peter C. Spahn. Art by Miguel Santos. Small Niche Games. Available in PDF for $4.95. 37 pages.

Pyramid of the Dragon is a Labyrinth LordTM adventure for 4-6 characters of 5th-7th level. This adventure is a quick romp in and around a swamp known as the Blood Marsh that involves both wilderness and dungeon exploration. Challenges include a mixture of problem solving, combat, and roleplaying, including several potentially lethal encounters with a red dragon and various other denizens of the Blood Marsh, so characters who rely solely on the might of their sword arms may be in for a rude surprise.

Beginning the Adventure

The adventure begins with the characters traveling through the forested Border Hills along a well-beaten path or road. Why the characters are in the area is left for the Labyrinth Lord to decide. They may be on their way to or returning from an adventure, or they may be traveling to the frontier village of Holden that is located nearby.

Pyramid of the Dragon begins "in media res" with the characters witnessing an aerial battle between two dragons. When one of the dragons is mortally wounded and falls from the sky, the characters have the option to investigate the dragon's carcass or continue on their journey. Several chance encounters scattered throughout the adventure should eventually lead the characters to the fallen dragon's lair in the Blood Marsh where they can discover the ruins of an ancient city, save an unfortunate young man from a terrible curse, and thwart the plans of an evil red dragon.

Christopher B of A Rust Monster Ate My Sword has copies of his Dark World Map for sale. 

Free Downloads

Dyson Logos of A character for every game posted the 11th and final level of his mini-megadungeon, Dyson's Delve. You can find links to all the levels here, as well a PDF compilation of the whole shebang!

Carter of The Lands of Ara has put his Sleestak! into a PDF for you to download.

Paul Gorman of Quickly, Quietly Carefully has a Wilderness Map, you might find useful.

elf23 from The City of Iron has an Expanded LL Thief Class.

Videos & Podcasts

Samwise7 turns his attention to Tekumel, with a review of Swords & Glory Vol. 1 & 2 - Part 1 here and then Part 2 here. 

Review Round-up

Rob Conley of Bat in the Attic has some info on RPGNOW's POD. 


Dennis Laffey of What a horrible night to have a curse... has posted a review of the New Gamma World.


Beedo from Dreams in the Lich house has a review/play report of James Raggi's Tower of the Star Gazer. 

Tenkar of Tenkar's Tavern has a Mini Review of Pyramid of the Dragon. 

Events & Happenings

Winter War 38 is taking place on January 28-30, 2011 at the Hawthorn Suites in Champaign, IL.

Jeff Rients and Alex Riedel will be running some old school. 


The Swords & Wizardry Whitebox one volume release from Brave Halfling Publishing has been updated to its 3rd edition and is available for purchase or as a free PDF download.


What I'm Pimping This Week


I'm letting things ride, this week. I just got in from an out of town trip and I'm in a hurry to get things squared away, relax and maybe read a little.

About The News

Unless otherwise noted, all links to products and files are to the individual authors sites, pertinent posts, or sales pages. I don’t link directly to files, unless that is the only link available. The OSR News is produced as a service to the community and is entirely a non-commercial endeavor on my part. I have received no remuneration for advertising, reviewing or reporting on any of the items appearing herein. Please feel free to send me information on any new releases, events, or other items of interest, which you would like to see mentioned.

As always, the What I’m Pimping This Week section of the OSR News and its accompanying blog widget, feature products which I have purchased (or items which are available for free download) and wish to support. No one has asked me to spotlight their material in this section and I have received no payment of any kind for doing so.