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The Goblin Hulk – A New World Campaign Sourcebook

Ross — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:14 +0000

The Hulk has arrived!

The Goblin Hulk has dropped anchor! Weighing in at over 17,000 words, this campaign sourcebook details the inner workings of the goblin hulk, a massive ship supporting an entire horde, bent on despoiling and looting everything of value in the new world. Learn the secrets of the engineers and shamans who keep the ship running and the machinations of the merchants and chieftains who run the infamous bazaar on the hulk’s top deck. Everything is for sale on the hulk and its visitors include everyone from the vilest demons to the most ruthless mercenaries. This sourcebook also includes 3 adventure frameworks, 5 new monsters, 2 new templates and more! While this is statted for 4E adventures, the majority of its material is stat free and can easily be used for any fantasy adventure RPG.

Thanks to all the RPPR listeners who contributed to the ransom to make this possible and to the artists who added their work to this sourcebook!

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 13

Ross — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:50:43 +0000

The Paragon Tier begins!

A year has passed since the destruction of the thieves’ guild. The Water Barons now control Border Town, the second settlement of the colonial government. With their new power comes new challenges and new allies. A dragonborn sorcerer joins their ranks, played by Bill. What else happens? You need to listen to find out.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 12

Ross — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:17:23 +0000

SHIT JUST GOT REAL

Apologies to MSpaint adventures!

It’s time for the final battle between the Thieves Guild and the heroic ragtag army of underdogs (i.e. the players)! Who will live? Who will die? Who will die, then live because the players bitch enough to make me change my ruling? Find out in Episode 12

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 11

Ross — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:36:50 +0000

In order to celebrate the success of the second RPPR ransom the Goblin Hulk, we’ll post the next episode of The New World Campaign. In this game, we introduce a new player, Mike, who takes over the NPC warforged named Watcher. The Water Barons have learned of the thieves guild’s stronghold and now must march on it with their ragtag army. Can they survive the dangerous wilderness with their army intact or will the many traps, hazards and wandering monsters stop them before they can even fight the guild?

Call for artists for the Goblin Hulk Module

Ross — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:49:39 +0000

The Goblin Hulk Ransom has been a success so if you are an artist who would like to get your artwork seen by thousands of dedicated RPG players, please email rpprpodcast@gmail.com for more information on collaborating with us on the project. Related posts:The New World Campaign Primer is a success RPPR has a new email [...] Related posts:

Preview of the Goblin Hulk – The Albino Grippli

Ross — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:30:52 +0000

If you want to see more of the goblin hulk – contribute now and help support RPPR

Dark cousins to the grippli, these degenerate creatures worship a dark nameless entity – perhaps an ancient god whose name was forgotten by civilized man or a demon lord so corrupting that even to name it is to grant it power. The albino grippli have wormed their way ever closer to the surface and are now ready to strike. While their ultimate plans are unknown, they have sent many scouts and agents into the surface world to learn of it and to establish footholds. These agents are sly creatures, adept at blades, subterfuge but most importantly they are masters of hypnotism.

A single scout can hypnotize dozens or even hundreds of weak-willed creatures and organize them into a secretive cult that obeys only the albino’s commands. With these lackeys, the albino can subvert the local powers that be and prepare the way for the rest of his kin to invade. That’s what’s happening onboard the goblin hulk. In the bottom deck of the hulk, a lone albino grippli has started a small cult among the goblins. He wants to take over the hulk and has found the goblins to be the perfect minions. They are ruthless, easy to hypnotize and totally expendable. No one misses a goblin if breaks the hypnosis or has outlived its usefulness. Despite these advantages, the albino’s cult is still small and vulnerable if it is detected by the goblin shamans or chieftains of the upper decks.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 10

Ross — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:31:39 +0000

The Water Barons must now take a stand against the Thieves Guild. Lines are drawn, preparations are made and the final confrontation draws ever closer. This session and the next two sessions mark the conclusion of the heroic tier of the New World RPPR campaign.

Also, be sure to check out the next RPPR ransom, the Goblin Hulk module.

No one welcomes the goblin horde into their land. No one wants the goblins as guests or friends. No one, not even the other monstrous races, trusts the goblins. They are as the locust, a ravenous swarm consuming or despoiling all within reach. Normally, they are held back by the armies of civilized nations but the New World lacks an organized defense.

The first goblin ship has laid anchor off the shore of the New World, a massive hulk that holds together despite its improbable construction. It is a ramshackle floating fortress with countless goblins nesting within it. Its very presence destabilizes the region and if left unchecked, the goblins could overrun the New World.

This is a ransom project. If the ransom is met, The Goblin Hulk will be released as a free PDF by September 20, 2009 at the latest. Preview material including monster stats and maps will be released on a regular basis.

The Goblin Hulk is a multi-purpose dungeon module suitable for any 4E game. The hulk can appear in any harbor or shore, threatening all nearby. It is designed so that you can use it as:

*A starting town for evil or unaligned player characters – the bazaar is open to all and characters can use it to gain gold and power. Level 1 characters can even help one of the goblin chieftains gain power in the hulk.

*A level 6 adventure for characters to sneak into the hulk and rescue captured friends or escape from the hulk themselves.

*A level 12 adventure for a band of heroes to storm the hulk, slay its defenders and sink the ship before the goblins gain a permanent beachhead in the New World.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 09

Ross — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:59:46 +0000

Meet Pontifex. The tribes of the New World call him Grandfather for he is older than any living creature. He has slaughtered entire tribes, commands all to do his bidding if need be, yet no tribal thinks to slay him or even hate him. What point is there in warring or hating a force of such power that it might as well be a hurricane or an earthquake? The Water Barons meet Pontifex for the first time in this session.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 08

Ross — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:44:26 +0000

A new dawn breaks for our intrepid heroes, the Water Barons. They finally decide to explore the Lemurian ruins near the colony. Will they survive the deadly traps and deadlier denizens of this dungeon? Find out in game 8 of the New World Campaign! Related posts:RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New [...] Related posts:

RPPR Episode 32: Show and Tell – Maps and Minis

Ross — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:38:34 +0000

Inspired by our recent 4th edition D&D campaign, Tom and I discuss the usage of maps, miniatures and other props and gimmicks in tabletop games. While some games like Dungeons and Dragons nessecitate at least using some of these add-ons and others like Call of Cthulhu practically drown players in handouts, so where should you draw the line? How much is too much and when do they take away from the game instead of enhancing it? We also talk about our Gencon 09 plans and the New World Primer. Funny thing, we record this episode before the primer came out. Instead of a letter, Tom reads some stuff written by his friend Andy and we have the most insane anecdote ever…The Chaplin Incident as related to us by Adam Scott Glancy of Pagan Publishing.

Favorite RPPR Forums Threads:

Shout Outs

M-51 Engineer’s Bag - a neat bag suitable for hauling gaming materials like maps and minis
Henry Rollins Show: Season One – Tom wuvs Henry Rollins.
The Burrowers - a twisted western horror movie that asks the question: what’s worse – man eating predatory monsters or us?
Black Adder Complete Collector’s Set – Nerd out to great brit comedy about war, politics and history.
Splinter - another new and freaky horror movie with a horrific and original monster besieging 4 trapped survivors.
Level Up Magazine - 4E gaming goodness for only 2 bucks an issue.

Music GooTube Conspiracy by Nalts

The New World Campaign Primer

Ross — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:39:11 +0000

The New World Awaits

News of the discovery spreads like wildfire. Ambitious lords, zealous high priests and enterprising merchants draw their plans fervently. The docks of the cities blaze with activity, as ships are outfitted for long journeys and word goes out at every village square and tavern throughout the kingdom. The New World has been found and the rush to claim and colonize it has begun!

A brave group of adventurers joins the first expedition to make landfall in the New World. They will have to overcome unique challenges and threats unheard of in the known world. Their greatest enemy is not an evil adversary or corrupt king. It is the unknown. The unknown land that stretches endlessly past the horizon: the unknown inhabitants of the New World and most importantly the unknown decisions that will ensure the safety and prosperity of the fledgling colony. There are many possible futures for the adventurers and the colony but most paths end in failure and death. The adventurers must choose wisely or they will not survive the first winter.

The New World Primer is the first supplement of a campaign setting about a newly discovered continent, suitable for most fantasy worlds. The first expedition from the old world has just landed on the shores of the New World to start the first settlement. The name and exact location of the continent is left undescribed so you can more easily fit the New World in your campaign. A few dozen colonists, including a brave party of heroes (i.e. the player characters), band together as they try to tame the savage wilderness, make peace with the native tribes and establish the first settlement. The supplement provides all you need to get started in the New World.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 07

Ross — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:19:57 +0000

In this session, the Water Barons confront a dangerous beast that stalks the colony. It has killed and terrorized the simple workers of the colony and no one dares to venture outside the protective walls of the colony. Find out who pays the ultimate price to stop the beast! Related posts:RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons [...] Related posts:

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 6

Ross — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 04:34:28 +0000

Show your support for RPPR by donating to the New World Campaign Primer Ransom! There’s less than a week to go.

The Water Barons (I.E. our intrepid heroes) face many new threats and dangers this session. The thieves guild has its own designs on the New World. A rival adventuring company becomes popular in the colony. The grippli must gain legal protection so they won’t be enslaved by the slave trader Axgore. Find out how Tom, Cody and Jason deal with these threats and more!

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 5

Ross — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:22:54 +0000

In this session, the players continue their struggles against the goblins massing in the New World. Theolonius the merchant lord tries to manipulate the players but will it pay off? How will Cody’s romantic exploits be used against him? Will the grippli be rescued? Find out in session 5!

If you enjoy the New World Campaign, please consider contributing a few bucks to the New World Campaign Primer Ransom. If the collection goal is met, I will write and publish a free PDF primer of the New World Campaign on the RPPR website, with a new adventure, 5 new feats, 5 new monsters and more!

Tides of Doom Bonus Material

Ross — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 03:34:02 +0000

Special thanks to Goodman Games

This PDF contains material not used in the 4E Dungeons and Dragons scenario, “Tides of Doom”. It has guidelines on running encounters inside Crafthaven, as the cult will attempt to get rid of the players while they rest in the Inn. It also introduces a vigilante ally, the Red Brigand, who may aid the players. It has nothing in the way of stats as I wrote it before the 4E books were released.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Campaign Game 4

Ross — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:49:17 +0000

Rejoice! Game 4 of the RPPR 4E Dungeons and Dragons New World campaign is here! The party has to deal with the horde of goblins migrating to the new world as they are threatening their grippli allies! Plus, romance, orc migration, intrigue and a daring escape from a goblin ship. Oh and loads of profanity, banter and violence. Sweet, sweet violence.

This episode brought to you by RPGNow. GM day is March 4 and they have a big sale going on all week with tons of titles at 25% off or more.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons Tides of Doom

Ross — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:29:04 +0000

Tides of Doom, part of In Search of Adventure
Run at Visioncon.

Synopsis: The village of Crafthaven has awoken an ancient evil buried underneath. Can the brave heroes stop the cult from completing its ritual? Oh, and this dungeon isn’t just filled with Lovecraftian monsters. It corrupts all who spend time in it. Even the poor halfling paladin who becomes a freakish hunchback by the end of the adventure. Find out if good prevails before the Tides of Doom drown them all…

I wrote the adventure for Goodman Games and ran it for some friends at a local gaming con, hence the people wandering in at random intervals. As an after hours game, this is a more relaxed and casual game than usual. Also, this is a classic hack and slash dungeon crawl, filled with combat and traps. Very little social interaction compared to the new world campaign.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E DnD – The New World Game 3

Ross — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:19:24 +0000

4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons
The New World Campaign- NSFW!

GM: Ross Payton

Players: Tom, Cody, Jason and Dan

Synopsis: The adventurers have gained some new friends, a tribe of grippli. They’ve also made some new enemies, the thieves guild. Furthermore, a horde of goblins has arrived in the new world, their massive hulk anchored in the bay. The goblins seem content to work as laborers for the colony but who knows how long that will last? The party starts their new business as water barons selling precious H20 to the settlers. They also decide to try to sign a peace treaty with the Black Raven tribe. Oh and there’s a giant lobster monster named Pinchy, a dwarven cartographer, snotty noblewoman, Cordelia and a goblin ambush. Plus all four players are together for the first time in the campaign! Oh and this is still very not safe for work.

RPPR Actual Play: 4E Dungeons and Dragons – The New World Session 2 NSFW

Ross — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:59:26 +0000

The New World
a 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons Campaign
Session 2

Players: Tom, Cody and Dan

IMPORTANT NOTE: This game is full of profanity, even by our standards. This is very much NOT SAFE FOR WORK.

Synopsis: The kingdoms of the old world have discovered a vast new continent across the ocean. Brave settlers have started the first colony in the net world. Among them, a small band of adventurers eager to earn glory and gold. In the first session, the characters ventured into the wilderness to find a source of fresh water. Upon finding a river, they came across a band of natives part of the The Black Raven tribe who fought them. After capturing one of the tribal warriors, the players learn of an ongoing tribal war and decide to talk to the other tribe, known as the Gray Fangs. The Gray Fangs tell them that a powerful water spirit can teach them a ritual that will conjure enough fresh water to supply the colony. However, after the characters ask for the spirit’s help, the spirit sends them to a dungeon in order to see if they are worthy.

The characters must find a way out of the dungeon in order to learn the ritual. Two groups stand in their way: a band of thieves and a tribe of primitive frog people. In this session, I called them tasloi, but in proper D&D lore they are called the Grippli. This mistake is corrected in the next session.

Due to a technical snafu on my part, the first session recording is gone. However all other sessions are backed up so this will not happen again.

RPPR Episode 19: Gencon 2008 Wrapup

Ross — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:24:25 +0000

We’re back from the best four days of gaming! We talk about everything from the new games premiering at Gencon to the awesome people we met to the games we played or ran. It was a blast and we look forward to next year. Some of the highlights this year include meeting Dave Arneson and getting a first edition of Blackmoor autographed, interviewing quite a few game designers and writers, playtesting a new Call of Cthulhu scenario from Pagan Press (which we recorded and will post to the podcast! stay tuned for that) hanging out with gamers and podcasters, sleeping very little and eating less and running Monsters and Other Childish Things. We will post our interviews on a regular basis for the next month or so.

Games and books mentioned:

Monsterpocalypse
Monsters and Other Childish Things and my supplement for it: A Curriculum of Conspiracy now in print!
Mutant City Blues
GUMSHOE/Trail of Cthulhu/Esoterrorists/Fear Itself
Freaky Creatures
Pirates of the Burning Sea
Hunter the Vigil
Goodman Games’ new 4E modules
Beneath Flanders Field: The Tunnelers of WW1 1914-1918

Music: The Sword of Fire by Studiomig.

RPPR Episode 18: 4E Dungeons and Dragons Rundown

Ross — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:51:00 +0000

We’ve finally gotten around to looking at the monster RPG of the summer, the fourth edition of Dungeons and Dragons. We cover the good, the bad and the ugly of the system. Special thanks to the Bear Swarm podcast for joining in on our first game of 4E. We also talk about Gencon, scuba diving and of course, a very entertaining letter from Tom.

Song: Journey by Excellent Adventure

Shout Outs:

Elona: A graphical roguelike with all kinds of neat features like random quests, companions, pets, and housing.
The Kids In the Hall: The best comedy out of Canada in the 90s.
The Demon Rush: MMMMMMMM. Watch the trailer.
Spore Creature Creator: Make wang monsters or something. I don’t know.

Interview with Adrian Pommier of Goodman Games

Ross — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:08:04 +0000

Every year, hundreds of adventurers die horrible deaths, all competing for treasure, glory and points to move on to the next round. This isn’t a weird reality TV series, it’s the DCC tourney at Gencon. Adrian Pommier is the man in charge of this year’s Dungeon Crawl Classic Tournament. He’s also the co-author of the mega module Castle Whiterock and several other dungeon crawls. In this interview, we talk about how the DCC module is designed, the creation of Castle Whiterock and Palace of the Wastes, (stories from the module are here) what the dungeon crawl really is and the differences between 3E and 4E.

Death by Thumbs

Ross — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:07:30 +0000

Written by Ab3
Mixed by Ross Payton

Me: “OK you walk into the room and see a group of Hobgoblins sharpening their weapons.”

Psycho Dave: “I flash my talisman of the Dark Gods and order them to bow down to the might of Azathoth.”

Me: “They bow before you.”

Psycho Dave: “Then I behead them.”

Performed by the RPPR crew
Chris Farmer
Tom Church
Patrick & Karee Williams
Aaron, David, and Ross Payton

Synopsis: Ab3 finds himself running a a two month Dungeons and Dragons campaign, as Deviant Boy, Aesnath, Weasly Crusher, Psycho Dave, El Disgusto and Ol’ Yellowbelly explore the Dungeon of Nasty Doom. Some quest for the Gemstone of MacGuffin while other players search for the Blade of Gory Cleaving. Of course, between the players’ volatile personalities and the many dangerous enemies of the dungeon, the odds are against Ab3 and his gaming buddies actually finishing the campaign. Fortunately, his pain is our comedy. Listen in to learn who suffers DEATH BY THUMBS!

This rant was originally posted on Rpg.net.