Grotto of the Golden Gargoyle (Perils issue #7)

Pocket Sized Perils Issue #7 is here! 

It's been a hot minute since I posted here and even longer since I put out an adventure but here it is:

Grotto of The Golden Gargoyle 

 

clicking the pic above will take you to my page on itch.io 

 

This is the 'G' entry in the Pocket Sized Perils series (there's an alternate one hidden in the recesses of my drive that may join it someday).  I've made quite a few changes to the format and general approach this time around... 

1. It's system agnostic (not 5e)
2. It's less pocket sized (a longer PDF or print on demand book, as opposed to a fold'n'cut zine) 

3. It's more heavily OSR inspired than previous entries

Why not 5e? 

Like a lot of people, 5e was my entry point into TTRPG's and I have a lot of affection for it as a system. However since first cracking open the PHB  I've discovered there's a very, VERY, big world of games and gaming styles out there. I've dabbled with a bunch of different systems and in particular find myself gravitating to simple rules that facilitate creative play. That is to say; simple characters doing unique stuff together in the fiction rather than complex characters, (mechanically speaking), doing the same stuff, most of the time, regardless of the fiction.  I'm not dogmatic about it though. Fun is fun and different ways of playing have different strengths. 

 

 Why the longer format? 

 In exploring other modules and writing connected to ttrpgs I've really enjoyed the rich world building and detail some adventures or settings offer. Consequently I wanted to build more environment focused adventures, where parties could explore more and decide how to interact with the world rather than follow something like a three act arc. 

The work of Jennell Jaquays and Justin Alexander's writing about it was a particular inspiration. 

The Grotto was designed with loops (maybe too many), secrets, factions and verticality in mind. It's still a smallish dungeon but all those elements are present in some form.  

This is my 'goblins in a cave' adventure 

 

I just wanted to do it once - 'there are many like it but this one is mine'. Much like my soft spot for 5e I have a soft spot for trad fantasy tropes. I came to table-top games pretty late, so I still have a an itch to play with elements I've seen in fantasy in other media through my childhood. I'll definitely move on to weirder stuff from here but I can't go past G and leave 'Goblins' on the table. 

As a teaser for the adventure itself here is the goblin npc generator included in it: 

Goblin Names (d12 twice) 

Prefix

1. 
   Snot
2. Gore
3. Rag
4. Grim
5. Quick
6. Long
7. Dung
8. Stink
9. Moon
10. Sharp
11. Bone
12. Ash

Suffix 

1. Throttler 
2. Pimple
3. Rider
4. Toes
5. Fingers
6. Shanks
7. Bag
8. Weasel
9. Knuckle
10. Biter
11. Thief
12. Face 

Goblin Detail  (d12)

1. Just wants a cure so they can return home
2. Wants a cure so they can get back to proper raiding  
3. Thinks they have leadership potential
4. Hasn't got the curse yet but their friend does
5. Is a poetic soul given to deep introspection
6. Thinks drinking wizard blood might help
7. Thinks the others are soft (stone fist as extra weapon)
8. Is looking for their pet lantern bug
9. Is searching for the door that matches the bronze key
10. can't afford to mess up again
11. Is nervous about drinking a potion for tonight's raid
12. Is trying to invent parachutes  

 
There you have it. I made another thing and you can buy it as a pdf or print on demand. If you do end up playing it let me know how you go - I'm always up for constructive feedback and hearing how other groups have gone with my adventures is possibly one of my chief delights when doing this kind of thing. 

I'm hoping to release the next installment in a much shorter time frame than it took between issues 6 & 7 - but it will probably be a while off. At the moment I'm thinking the title will be:

 "The Horrors of Hollow Hill" 

That's all for now!

B