[OD&D] The Scorching Gantlet (UD-1) module released!

 

I've just released a new adventure for OD&D type rulesets, The Scorching Gantlet. Don't @ me about that spelling!

This is a very brutal 'escape the dungeon' style adventure where the PCs have their equipment confiscated and must escape with their lives from an evil fire giant's labyrinth. It's best suited to 6-8 players of around 2nd level and contains 38 rooms over 2 levels. Old-school, borderline funhouse stuff!

It's available to purchase on DrivethruRPG and on Itch.io, with plenty of free community copies at the latter if you can't or don't wish to pay for it.

From the blurb: 

Run the Gantlet of Farradok!

Imprisoned by a sadistic fire giant and stripped of their weapons and equipment, the adventuring party must escape from the fiery labyrinths beneath his court - but it won't be easy. His three evil champions and retinue of hobgoblins have also joined the game...

The Scorching Gantlet is a punishing old-school dungeon crammed with evil traps, monsters and puzzles - players will need to be resourceful, hardy and brave as they scrounge and solve their way to the surface.

 This dungeon will (hopefully) be the first in what I hope is a series of lo-fi offerings with a DIY spirit, that don't sacrifice solid craftsmanship. Have fun!

[Art] Occluded Machinators comic available to buy!

 

A new horror / weird fiction comic that I helped create is now available to buy from my Bigcartel shop. This 32 page comic is an 'exquisite corpse' style collaboration between myself and the artist and musician DCW Briggs, who also runs the excellent and prolific psych/folk/weirdo/loner CDR label Folk Archive Records.

Many years ago (in 2015) I was expressing my frustrations about self-imposed pressure and artists block to Dave after a shared exhibition we'd taken part in in Brixton, organised by Julie of the Indestructible Energy zine. Dave and I had soon become friends, often visiting the pub together and discussing the finer things in life (obscure art, grubby comics, weird music).

As a remedy to my state of mind, he suggested we begin a comic that encompassed 'total freedom'. whereby we would take turns drawing a page, with no set script. 

7 and a half years later (!) this 32 page comic was the result. It's a creepy, winding narrative with the sort of uncertain feeling you get from certain Italian exploitation films BUT unlike many 'experimental' comics, it does have a story, and doesn't rely on abstract dream sequences. I think we were both discussing Thomas Ligotti a lot at the time, and while it's not quite that bleak, there's definitely some downbeat themes. There's also quite a British feel to a lot of the shitty looking landscapes and places depicted. Enjoy!

I and my art are now in a very different place than they were when I started this weird little comic. I'm hugely proud to be a part of this and to share the pages with Dave's fantastic world-building art. The comic will be available from other international distributors in the near future, but for now will be available through my own shop and Dave's bandcamp.