OSR: Pywawa

A lone Farmer on arid lands buries their sole goat, dead on the drought. Out of fear of catching the disease that killed it, or new ones attracted by the carcass, a quick hole on the ground suffices. Foolery, as the Pywawa grow and thrive in hot and dry climates, and fresh meat underground is just the ideal breeding pot. The next morning, the Farmer will find their field filled with half-planted pineapple weeds...

Our poor farmer is in for a treat, and should run away, pronto.

Rather quickly, this field will prove to be the birth of full Pywawas. They'll come out of the earth, flying on their bat-like wings, shouting "WAWA WAWA WAWA" in unison. Their upper body resembles the shape and form of a pineapple (yet much sturdier), a proper description of the half above their lone eye. Their teeth are hard, will tear through leather, flesh, and tendons, yet stop at iron and stone. These flying fuckers seek hot flesh, as the unison cry continues. They eat, eat, and eat some more, and never know when to stop.

Pywawas are ferocious, carnivorous, and have the cunning and intellect of a dog. Which means they will remember individual faces and locations, have great senses (keen vision), and are able to open door handles with their teeth (although more complex mechanisms will fly by them).

Heat and light are an attraction to them, so they will go after bonfires, torches, and candles first. They hunt and are always encountered in packs (or flocks, rather), and should be dreaded by all treasure hunters and adventurers.

Pywawa WAWA WAWA WAWA

To sum up:

• They fly, have the intellect of a dog, and always shout "WAWA WAWA WAWA".
• Pywawas attack at first sight, and always come in flocks.
• Can't be really tamed, but easily diverted by a) putting a huge fire or b) leaving fresh meat behind.

Pywawa HD: 2 Omen: distant shouts in unison of "WAWA WAWA WAWA". Appearance: one eye, size of a pineapple. Bat-wings flap. Number Appearing: 2d6 Wants: fresh and warm meat. Anything that's been dead for longer that 1 hour is of no interest to a Pywawa. Armour: as Leather + Helmet. Movement: fly at Normal speed. Morale: 9 Save As: Fighter 1 Attacks: Bite d8 Special:  Heat Attraction: Pywawas will attack torchbearers and move towards victims carrying heat sources. WAWA WAWA WAWA: anyone hit by a Bite, has to shout "WAWA WAWA WAWA". This prevents them to cast spells, or command hirelings (they can still spend their action to do gestures and signs). Also, Save vs Poison or has to attack with their Bite for d4 rounds the nearest creature (ignoring their weapons or other abilities), as the hunger for flesh consumes their will.

OSR: d66 Random Inn NPCs

Here come some faces you could find in an inn or tavern. Geared towards The Owl's Nest.

• Descriptions are minimal. They don't have stats because there shouldn't be a need for them.
• Roll d46 for less gonzo entries. d66 gets you the good stuff.
• The number rolled is the number of patrons currently at the inn. So 31 = 31 people.
• The sum of the pips is the number of different groups. So 31 = 3+1 = 4 groups.

Roll d66

11 - Bartolome (Human) / Skilled Alchemist

• Appearance: Gifted, grizzled, suspicious. Leathers with burnt gloves.
• Description: Is convinced to be a time traveler from the future.
• Wants? To return to the past, where they belong.

12 - Steam (Jotun) / Religious Astrologer

• Appearance: Impeccable clothes. Well-traveled, survivalist, religious.
• Description: Retired high level Cleric (9th). Lost faith after an encounter with a God years ago.
  Now scouts the sky for answers and patterns.
• Wants? Has rumor of a magical abacus and various star charts in the area.
  Would pay great sums for them. And maybe even perform a miracle, for old time's sake.

13 - Zorione (Human) / Potter

• Appearance: Pompous, chatty, erudite.
• Description: Selling handcrafted chess sets (overpriced at 100gp).
  Will play a game of chess, and provide a rumor in passing during the exchange.
• Wants? A meeting with the inn's manager to sell them the chess sets in bulk.

14 - Gerbasi Potter (Halfling) / Goat Shepherd

• Appearance: Young, jovial, anxious. Wears baggy clothes.
• Description: Came here after his father died, overwhelmed, to get a break.
• Wants? Proof that his father's stories about the dryads were true.

15 - Olov (Dwarf) / Mural Painter

• Appearance: Old, very old. Cracks his twisted knuckles repeatedly.
• Description: Used to be a goatherd. Then turned to banditry. To helping treasure hunters.
  New job, new life. Will argue about what colors are in fashion at any chance.
• Wants? To buy a herd of goats, and return to the countryside. But he fears his wife's wrath.

16 - Poza Ironheart (Halfling) / Dyer

• Appearance: Short coal hair. Young and motherly.
• Description: Likes to pinch everyone's cheeks.
  Will argue about what colors are in fashion at any chance.
• Wants? A dog. Or a cat.

21 - Ulrik (Dwarf) / Miller

• Appearance: Oily braided hair. Reddish nose, smells of cabbage.
• Description: Nervously waiting for his lover.
• Wants? His wife not finding out!

22 - Andos (Human) / Cobbler

• Appearance: Looks like a beggar. Walks barefoot, because "I'm not worth my own craft".
• Description: Surprisingly multilingual and cultured.
• Wants?  The perfect pair of boots.

23 - Flint (Jotun) / Rope Maker

• Appearance: Massive antlers on his forehead. Smiley and congenial.
• Description: Carries numerous rope samples of his ropes. The sturdiest and best crafted you've ever seen.
• Wants? A sucker for statues, Flint will buy any fine piece of art.

24 - Latxa Jamjar (Halfling) / Tailor

• Appearance: Strands of grey hair. Clever, alert, reserved.
• Description: Carries a set of tools to do the trade, including sharp scissors. Former spy, wanted by the authorities.
• Wants? A new identity. Or passage to a place VERY far away.

25 - Eleanor (Human) / Hand Model

• Appearance: Middle-aged lady. Seems to float everywhere she walks. All grace.
• Description: Nicest hands, she just bows in greetings, never shaking hands. Level 1 Magic User.
• Wants? An expensive ring. "All this work, and I get to keep none of the merchandise."

26 - Henrietta (Human) / Bankrupt Spice Merchant

• Appearance: From an exotic foreign land. Big and bossy. Hands-on-hips.
• Description: 3rd level Fighter. Commands around, and expects to be obeyed.
• Wants? Gullible investors in her (secretly bankrupt) business.

31 - Rojina (Faun) / Disenchanted Cook

• Appearance: Paper thin.
• Description: Annoyingly outspoken. Knows every flavor and scent, and where it originates from.
• Wants? A job at the kitchens of The Owl's Nest.

32 - Harnof (Dwarf) / Weaponsmith

• Appearance: Thick strong arms.
• Description: Got fired from his cousin's forge after a mishap, where he set half of it on fire.
  Burning his last savings at the Inn.
• Wants? Desperately looking for a job. Any kind will do.

33 - Gilen Nimblefeet (Halfling) /Basket-maker

• Appearance: Old lady, calloused worked fingers. Stoic.
• Description: Loves milk and pork pie.
• Wants? To kidnap the Owl Nest's cook, and taken them to her town. The pies are too dam fine.

34 - Drago Buttercheeks (Halfling) / Barber

• Appearance: PERFECT muttonchops.
• Description: No-nonsense, all work. Has 13 children.
• Wants? The best night of his life.

35 - Olga (Dwarf) / Accredited Food-taster

• Appearance: Braided ginger beard.
• Description: Nods or shakes after a tasting. Stole the proper documentation to be here (eating and drinking for free).
• Wants? A discrete assassination to the rightful owner of her accreditation. Olga fears her farce discovered.

36 - Enara (Human) /Crop Farmer

• Appearance: She's ripped. Skin tanned like leather.
• Description: Jovial, spending hard earned coin in a place she can't really afford.
• Wants? There's a Jelly Troll that settled on the river feeding her fields. She needs someone to drive it away.

41 - Yadav (Faun) / Leatherworker

• Appearance: Tiny straight horns, milk skin, red robes and a dope belt.
• Description: Speaks in one syllable words.
• Wants? A huge carcass in mint condition. They have a gargantuan order from the local Baron to fulfill.

42 - Giadia (Human) / Corrupt Tax-collector

• Appearance: Sophisticated nihilist. Accompanied by d6 guards at all times.
• Description: Addicted to opioids. Confuses the PCs for another renowned adventuring party.
  Has been overcharging the "Unnamed Inn" for months.
• Wants? Easy money. Her appetite for it is insatiable.

43 - Julia (Human) / Map-maker

• Appearance: Large unattended mane. Fingers always covered in different inks. Glasses as thick as windows.
• Description: Loves traveling. 2-in-6 chance of having a particular overland map for sale, no matter how obscure.
• Wants? A new pair of eyes. Hers are failing, and she loves map-making.

44 - Miles (Human) / Rat Exterminator

• Appearance: Muscular, mustached, brawny.
• Description: Cusses a lot. Drinks even more.
• Wants? A cure for their dog's arthritis. "Otherwise, who'll catch the damn rodents?"

45 - Sabiniano (Human) / Fortuneteller

• Appearance: Man in his early twenties, finely dressed. Lovely, sweet, and angelic voice.
• Description: Reads palms and throws the cards for a reasonable fee or meal.
• Wants? A last word with their deceased lover.

46 - Jatsu (Human) / Drunkard

• Appearance: Haggard, mute.
• Description: Claps and drums on the table at every chance. Begs for drinks.
• Wants? To stop drinking. In. This. Place.

51 - Abby (Spiderling) / Silk Trader

• Appearance: Smokes cigars. Bad temper. 4 extremely dexterous arms.
• Description: Treats lackeys and underlings as garbage, clients and investors as Gods.
• Wants? Bizarre books, and to protect their eggs.

52 - Nicoletta (Spiderling) / Clockmaker

• Appearance: Always smiles. Hairy. Missing three out of four arms, replaced by loud but accurate servos.
• Description: Presses the characters on the benefits of having limbs replaced by mechanical counterparts. Even if they're working perfectly.
• Wants? Delicate music and poetry. Long-lasting honest friendships.

53 - Friq (Goblin) /Squid Fisher

• Appearance: Wiry. Smells of fish. Uses a harpoon as a staff.
• Description: Grumpy, seems lost. Likes to search his nose and inspect the findings.
• Wants? To have an automaton, beast, or similar servant.

54 - Peax (Goblin) / Glassblower Apprentice

• Appearance: Malicious. Has three eyes (one of them concealed), and is missing an ear.
• Description: Picks pockets and places the contents on somebody else. Wreaks havoc. Will set the latrines on fire and laugh at it.
• Wants? To get people high as a kite. To delight in absolute chaos and entropy.

55 - Callous (Molekin) / Dung Farmer

• Appearance: Greyed whiskers. Stutters. Smelly shovel used for work.
• Description: Accepts ANY paying job, and is efficient at it.
• Wants? A new set of teeth (preferably golden).

56 - Dartre (Molekin) /High-stakes Gambler

• Appearance: Diminutive, gangly, despicable. Accompanied by d4 enforcers at all times.
• Description: Blood as cold as ice when it comes to deals. Dozens of ongoing bets. Somehow always comes up top.
• Wants? -Gambles will be quests in disguise "Bet you 5000gp you can't kill the giant past the mountain".
  -A gamble worth enough to chip their own soul into the bargain. Did it once before, and won.

61 - Mold (Molekin) /Lead Servant on Leave

• Appearance: Emotionless, delicate. Monocle and expensive discrete clothes.
• Description: Bows deeply after completing every single sentence. Won't drink or partake, but takes copious notes on a journal.
• Wants? To travel, and see the World! But he's a chronic workaholic.

62 - Ataahua (Lizardfolk) / Desperate Diplomat

• Appearance: Scales the color of mucus. Broken accent, jumpy.
• Description: Polite, but fails understanding even the most common courtesy norms.
• Wants? An army to defend the upcoming invasion of their lands.

63 - Armis 3A (Clockwork) / Locksmith

• Appearance: Dented tin body, form of a ferret. Whiskers in the form of files and lockpicks.
• Description: VOICE AS A TELEPROMPT ANNOUNCER. ABLE TO UNLOCK ANYTHING, GIVEN TIME AND OLIVE OIL.
• Wants? A new body, made of silver. The transfer is painful and very complex.

64 - Servus K6BD (Clockwork) / Viticulture Scholar

• Appearance: Taller than a Jotun. Bigger than an ox. Polished copper body (worth 300gp). Mute, but gestures a lot.
• Description: Considers everyone to be a buddy. Will join any party. Programmed to bring joy and serve. In that order.
• Wants? Kill someone. It's programming prevents it from doing so.

65 - Madame Anwen (Ghoul) / Grim Jester

• Appearance: Greasy hair. Copious amounts of perfume. Wears a green scarf on her neck, where she was once hung.
• Description: Only eats human flesh. And has a nihilistic view of existence.
• Wants? To come back to life.

66 - Dewie (Talking Cat) / Grave Robber

• Appearance: Grey fur. Missing right eye.
• Description: Actually a devil: curse trapped this thrall of Darek of Blades into a feline body. Will avoid talking to any Clerics.
• Wants? The bones of 66 Saints. Then, the curse can be lifted.

OSR: Basilisks

A standard Basilisk is the size of a mastiff dog, and looks like an oversized chameleon. They come in a wide variety of flavors, shapes, and forms. So each specimen has some distinctive characteristics, and some commonalities.

Truth is, any lizard of significant size can become a Basilisk. The more they eat, the bigger they get. The bigger they get, the higher the chances of developing the petrifying gaze trait that distinguishes them. Stone coated flesh is just an evolutionary developed taste for them. Petrified statues become a prized pantry. Contrary to a dog, Basilisks have the instinct to save food for a rainy day. It's a matter of caloric conservation.

As to their origin, there are numerous speculative theories. Some scholars claim this is pure evolutionary logic. Some lizards living underground developed the cunning to get their nutrients from minerals and stones (carbs being hard to get by). The gaze was a need to multiply said calories. Others claim that the First Emperor of the Itean Empire had a fetish with lizards, and built gardens full of reptilians, feeding slaves, spies, and perjurers to the cold blooded creatures. His adoration turning into experimentation and cross-breeding sprouted the first Basilisks.

Basilisk Template HD: 6 Omen: PCs will find extremely realistic statues, with bitemarks! Of humanoids, but also of animals, insects, and other creatures. The Basilisk has sparkling eyes that glow in the dark like two mostly consumed candles. Appearance: Size of a mastiff dog, looks like an oversized chameleon. Come in a wide variety of flavors, shapes, and forms. Get a Number Appearing: Solo, pair, d6 Wants: Food! Needs at least a full human per week to subsist, but can eat much more. Or roll a random  Armor: As Chain. Movement: Normal. If the Basilisk didn't move last turn, it can move at 2x Normal speed for this one. Morale: 8 (12 if protecting their petrified statue collection) Save As: Fighter [HD] Attacks: +[HD] to Hit, Bite d10 / Petrifying Gaze (passive, affects up to 2 different creatures) Special: Petrifying Gaze: Every round the Basilisk can fix their chameleon eyes onto up to two creatures. The victims must Save vs Petrification. On a first fail their legs start turning into stone (stuck in place), and they take a -4 penalty to AC. As long as the Basilisk keeps fixating one of its eyes into that victim, they stay in this state. On a second round they must also Save vs Petrification. On a second failure, the process continues, and they irreversibly turn to stone. On a success on the second save the first penalties still apply until the Basilisk dies, a turn (10 minutes) has elapsed, or the Basilisk averts the gaze. A creature can voluntarily avert their gaze or close their eyes, which negates the Petrifying Gaze effect, but they suffer a -4 to hit and -2 to AC.

Basilisk Sparks 

Roll and make your Basilisk unique! Or pick by hand. You can roll several times, but some entries are mutually exclusive.

d30	Spark	Effect
1	Jelly Skin*	Like butter. Armor as Unarmored
2	Vegetarian*	Looses the Bite attack. Reaction rolls are done with +2.
3	Diminutive*	Small but vicious. Size of a squirrel. Half HD. Everything else equal.
4	Ham Legs*	Short and stocky. Reduce movement to 1/2 Normal.
5	Fickle*	Morale 5
6	Ice Blooded	Save vs Fear in the presence of significant fire (several torches, for instance).
7	Bat Wings	Gain a flying speed equal to Normal.
8	Gecko Feet	Cam climb at Normal speed (also upside down).
9	Regeneration	Regains a HD each round. Severed limbs regrow in d6 turns.
10	Whip Tongue	Each turn choose either this attack or the Bite. 20ft range. On a hit the target is grappled, and has to break free.
11	Hard Shell	Like a turtle's. Armor as Plate + Shield.
12	2d4 Heads	Gets to do a Bite attack per head. Each HD reduced is a head chopped.
13	Abundant Sentience	14 Intelligence, speaks Common and Draconian. Knows d4 random Magic User Spells.
14	Chameleon Mimetism	4-in-6 to stealth
15	Spiked Skin	Melee attacks against the Basilisk result in d4 damage taken by the attacker.
16	Regurgitated Stomach Bile	Breath weapon, 30ft cone. Save vs Breath or take 2d6 damage.
17	Triple Jaws	Like shark rows of teeth. Bite attack deals 3d10 damage instead.
18	Amphibious	Gains a swimming speed of Normal, and can breathe underwater.
19	Echolocation	Can navigate in complete pitch darkness, and locate invisible creatures. Can't see when deafened.
20	Tail Club	Everyone within 10ft Save vs Breath or take d8 damage. Nearby statues are knocked and break.
21	Twisted Horns	Gains an additional Charge attack (deals 2d6 damage and knocking prone, if it moved against the target).
22	Multi-legged	Speed is 2x Normal.
23	Viciously Unbreakable	Morale 12
24	Stinger Tail	Like a scorpion's. d8 damage and Save vs Petrification on a hit. If save failed, immediately turn to stone.
25	Elastic Limbs	Joints rotate in all directions. Hard to pin down or grapple/wrestle (+4 bonus to resist)
26	66 Tiny Eyes	Cannot be surprised.
27	Goat Legs	Can jump and hop up to Normal speed twice per round.
28	Headless Brutality	On death, body flails and runs around mindlessly for 10 minutes, stumbling and throwing everything around.
29	Eye Rays	Each Petrifying Gaze Save failed causes in addition d10 damage.
30	Stone Glide	Can pass through solid stone as if it was mud or a slime.

* these Sparks make the Basilisk weaker, not stronger

Simon Seene

What does the Basilisk Want?

d6	Motivation?
1	Protect the eggs. They are big and HEAVY, made of sheer stone. Like ostrich ones.
2	Food! It's deprived, and hungry for stony flesh.
3	Protect their territory, their home.
4	Something shiny! Gems, gold, or something glowy (torches don't count; it can't be hot!)
5	Creatures to play with! Like a clumsy oversized dog, it fails to think anyone is being harmed. It's all a game!
6	This one is expecting their Master's return. They wait and protect like the obedient pet they are.

Reversing the Gaze

• The most effective way to reverse someone stoned by a Basilisk is to use an antidote smeared on the victim's statue'd state. This involves a puré with equal parts Basilisk brain and strong alcohol (rum, vodka, whisky). The full process takes 1 hour when applied.
• Note that a Basilisk's brain is extremely delicate and hard to carry around. Misplacing or mishandling it removes its properties, damaging the synaptic neuron connections required for a reversal of the petrified condition.
• Alternatively, a sage specialist, master ranger, or other specialist might be able to concoct an antidote if the full carcass of a Basilisk is brought to them, and they have a week's time.

Advice for the Reckless Adventurer

Basilisks are scary, and deadly. They can wipe out a powerful individual in a whim. And then devour their stony remains. Facing one should always be avoided or circumvented. There's no incentive. Bring bait (disposable livestock), cover their head with a sack and chain them on the neck. Wear specialist protective goggles (expensive!) to delay the petrifying process. Blind it. Distract it. Smoke it out of its lair.

Reading List

• Wizzzargh's Basilisk
• Basic Fantasy RPG
• Tomb of the Serpent King
• Esoteric Enterprises pg. 227 (the section on Dragons)

OSR: 3 Rival Adventuring Parties

Very much inspired by Arnold K.

Assume the first one in the Cast section is their boss (+1HD), and that each member of the Cast has HD equal to the average level of the PCs. Roll or pick the party that best suits your campaign best. Assumed for B/X rules (Knave, OSE, LotFP).
Also note: there are Molekin here. Replace by Goblins, Halflings or Gnomes if those fit your game's setting better.

Scroll to the end of the article for a long ramble on Rival Adventuring Parties.

1) Auriola and the Crows

Capable, Divided, Versatile, Brass.

Truths:

• Auriola will accept any sword duel. And throw one to solve any disagreements.
• The group is divided. The Buttercheeks see Auriola (and the young Amusko) as too bold. Serafin and Brosco are doing their own thing. Changing the group's composition will tip the current balance.
• Serafin will kill ANYONE to have his voice back. If he believes his cords can be restored, he will betray whoever.

Cast:

• Auriola Yudego, the Dancer. Hair short, silver nose ring. Black leather and a rapier. Wants to be the best swordswoman in all of Maienstein. And she's pretty damn good. +2 to hit and damage if wielding a sword. But she's currently training her left hand (so no bonus). If a fight looks serious, she'll switch hands.
• Serafin "Birdsong". Young human wizard, with an untended beard and a red scarf. Had his throat slit once, but lived to tell the tale. Kind of. Now he can only speak through his crow familiar. Knows two spells: grease and glue. Wields a trusty repeating crossbow of his own invention (attack again on 19-20; gets stuck at 1 and needs d4 rounds to repair). Dreams of recovering his own voice.
• Amusko the Thief. 15 young human lad, with an innocent smile. "Secretly" in love with Auriola, will do anything to impress her. Brass, impulsive. Wields two sharp knifes. Keeps jewelry of his victims, which he aims to offer to Auriola when the hoard is significant enough.
• Zoila & Sorospen Buttercheeks. Thief halfling sisters. They regret every single decision that brought them to this point in their lives. They use bows, bear traps, ropes and bells with efficiency. Despite their nihilism, they carry on with the group.
• Brosco Ironheart, the Fighter. Halfling with ginger muttonchops. Short guy with a bad temper. Wields a hammer and a shield, and he will fuck up your kneecaps real bad. Morale 12. When he would fall to 0HP or below, he instead regains d6HP. Adrenaline that wears off after the battle, only applies once per day.

Tactics:

• Preference: outside, with the cover of trees or elevation for the Buttercheeks and Serafin to pepper with projectiles. A narrow pass works wonders for them. Under parley, Auriola will demand a one-on-one duel with the best fighter on the other side to resolve disagreements. Or just test/show her skill.
• Preparation: Serafin's raven will scout ahead. The Buttercheeks will prepare a couple bear traps, and put some rope with a bell hanging from a tree as an alarm in the selected spot. Serafin will conveniently "glue" the area, making it tough as nails to flee. Amusko will hide in nearby bushes to get the flank.
• Action: Auriola will march forward with Brosco to meet the enemies, whilst the Buttercheeks and Serafin loose projectiles. Amusko will wait for a window to sneak attack, fiercely protecting Auriola if the need arises.

2) Bookyn Nine-Nine

Boisterous, Fighty, Numerous, Reckless.
 
Truths:

• More a warband than an adventuring group, they all come from the moot town of Bookyn. Itzai used to be the constable there, until a series of unfortunate events forced him to leave the town with his lackeys and whoever had the guts to follow him.
• There's 18 (!) of them. The 9 that compose the adventuring group, plus the 9 animals: 3 mastiffs, 3 mules, a warhorse, a black cat, and a yellow parrot. The mastiffs fight if Alvin commands them to do so.
• They're into adventuring for the carousing, plain and simple: fight hard, get rich, die young. Will drink any liquor, try any drug. Playing with their egos is a valid proposition.

Cast:

• Itzai, the Constable. A human of law turned barbarian. Sword and shield and mohawk. Wearing his old constable uniform, and on the warhorse whenever possible. Charismatic, jovial leader as long as he gets what he wants. A monster if he gets denied. Has to play the macho role to keep leadership of the group, and is particularly weary of Vivian.
• Pimple, the Cleric. A limping molekin wearing black leathers, with a shield and a sickle. Worships Rotwurm, the Blind Hunter. Has a hard time patching everyone together after a battle. Surprisingly stealthy, has a collection of worms in a jar and is into rare herbs.
• Diofantos, the Scout. Is a human with a hunched back and a lot of finesse, who likes to be on his own. He only speaks in sentences one word long. Diofantos is a God in opportunism: arrives at the perfect and most critical moment. Has the exact item to overcome the challenge (and yes, he has it all in his sack). Most remarkably, he's an excellent bow shooter, and skilled with the shortsword. Has mirrors, caltrops, fake jewellery, disguises, smoke bombs, and much much more.
• Alvin, the Beastmaster Scout. A gnarly dwarf. Shaved, short ginger beard, arms full of bite-marks, ears full of rings. Is the only one really taking care of the animals: inventory, feeding, etc. Wields a whip and a spear to poke at the dogs and make them excited for battle.
• Eleder Jamjar, the Fighter. Halfling, failed alchemist in Bookyn, joined the group picking a spear and a shield, and has learned a trick or two from the others. Has a bag of flash powder that when lit emits a blinding flash of light, as well as several bottles of strong, fast-drying dye in a variety of bright colors. Can be used to stain objects, clothes, and even skin in different hues. Eleder applies warpaints on his compadres before battle.
• Torkild, the Barbarian. This dwarf will drink about anything offered. Either his blackened liver absorbs it, or it gets puked immediately. Has a 2d6 acid breath weapon. Obsessed with liquor, death, and crows (wants one for the party).
• Vivian, the Über-Barbarian. BATTLEAXE. SHOUTS AND COMMANDS. TORKILD'S AUNT. THIS DWARF LADY USED TO BE A PORK PIE BAKER BACK IN BOOKYN. NOW SHE HUNTS WHATEVER BEAST IS IN FRONT, COOKS IT AND GIVES IT TO THE BOYS. MOTHERLY, PROTECTIVE, AND LOUD.
• Nuño, the Berserker. Human in his mid-thirties. Mustache and pipe. He's cool. And the shortest temper. "Why are you looking at me?" "Why aren't you looking at me?" "You got a problem?". Shortswords and daggers galore. Quick. When the little patience is gone, he's vicious.
• Justino, the Second Fighter. A human with a wide grin, horse teeth. Scars on the face, seems to have been used like a chopping board. Was a woodcarver. Resents Eleder, who's half the size, but twice the fighter.
  

Tactics:

• Preference: They are a fucking mess, and a mix of warcries and showing off. But they're tough as nails, and have good numbers. Anyone who perils is quickly replaced, to keep the Nine-Nine name.
• Preparation: Diofantos might set some clever tricks: caltrops cutting an enemy's exit, a hidden pit, bear traps, etc. He will appear in the best possible moment (for the Nine-Nine), and finish whatever is already wounded. Nobody knows where he came from, but he's a lethal sneaky bastard. The rest of the gang doesn't prepare, at all. Pimple tries to avoid a mess, but fails every single time.
• Action: WAAAGH!

3) Jackson Five

Religious, Scheming, Meticulous, Secretive.

Truths:

• Will try to immobilize and interrogate all enemy priests/clerics/scholars. Ulrik can tell them apart, and Jackson will record every detail spoken in his keen mind.
• Can be bribed with religious texts. Fermin and Itzalle get to split all the loot (that's why they've stayed so far), since the zealots care little for other treasure and coin.
• Jackson can alter his form with spells (excluding his clothes), and impersonate any humanoid convincingly (he's a good actor).

Cast:

• Jackson, the Wizard. Stocky dwarf with grey beard in a braid, and a brown robe. Speaks in whispers, and prefers to listen first. Has arm-sleeve tattoos of snakes that animate under his command (2 poisonous snakes, 2HD each, bite attack deals 1 damage + 2d6 poison). Deals in secrets and is obsessed with religious texts and The Game. Tries to please Agent Daximona, and have contact with that deity. He's failed so far.
• Fermin, the Hafling Fighter. Straw hair covered by a red bandana, mace and shield. Fights as dirty as it gets: spits, bites, goes for the nuts; you name it. Gets to attack + do a stunt each turn. Has a treasure map sewn inside his bandana, which he's hoping to find one day (but keep from the others).
• Itzalle, the Scout. She's a scarred human that should've retired long ago. Covering for 14 grandchildren with her share of the loot. Cooks an excellent stew. Uses a crossbow if needed, and has smoke bombs. But she's here mostly to crack doors open and disarm complex traps.
• Ulrik, the Cleric. A dwarf that can smell any cleric or man of faith. Can't stand his own stench. Plate, shield, and hammer. Worships Sin, the Enigma of All, so he will use any situation to laugh and cheer, no matter how untimely.
• Stye, the Torchbearer. Old molekin with a crooked back. Joyfully carries all the equipment, food, and loot for the others. He's useless in combat, and will beg and hide. Has a pet mastiff called Pitt (2HD, bite attack d10 damage + knocked prone on hit), which is far more capable and protective of his owner. Ulrik spared him once, so Stye ows his life to him and will blindly follow the Cleric.

Tactics:

• Preference: will try scouting, subterfuge, espionage or parley. They're the bunch that promises help and acts the way until they steal your treasure while you're sleeping. If all fails, they attack with surgical precision. Will concentrate on enemy priests and clerics first. And they'll retreat or negotiate if things look sour.
• Preparation: Jackson will use a disguise or illusion spell to scout the enemy days ahead. Posing as a beggar on the road. Or a helpful merchant. Will learn as much as it can about them. Itzalle will prepare her excellent stew and offer it (poisoned). She will bury smoke bombs in retreating points, activated on pressure if they need to flee. Fermin, Stye and Pitt will hide as a last resort.
• Action: Combat is not favored by the Jackson Five. They will have no interest in it if the scale isn't properly balance in their favor. They do their homework, and do it thoroughly: will know the weak links of the enemy, their composition and relationships, if they have any Clerics or Wizards, etc. and use it to their advantage.

Ramble on Rival Adventuring Parties

Goblin Misfits, by Anthony James Rich

Avoid at all costs. I'm being serious. There are several problems associated with using a Rival Adventuring Party (RAP from now on). Here a few:

1. There's a big chance to overshadow the PCs. Or that the players think you are in a power trip. We don't want that.
2. They are complex to roleplay. This is a group of misfits as rich as the PCs, and it's hard to make them justice.
3. They are hard to play in combat. They should have abilities, spells, magic items. This adds up, fast.

Why even bother then? There are several reasons, and things could go in any direction.

• A RAP doesn't have to stay in the antagonist corner forever. They could team up with the PCs, eventually. Roleplaying and interactions can become very rich.
• To show contrast. The party is careful and meticulous, taking no risks? Make the RAP fast, brass, violent. And vice versa. Are half of the PCs magic users? You bet your ass the RAP will be full of inquisitor clerics wanting to burn their spellbooks and cleanse their souls.
• To introduce competition and timers. What happens if several RAP are after the same McGuffin at the temple of Jon McLich? It means the players have to be fast in their goal. It means they could arrive to only see the dragon slain, the gold sacks being carried by the RAP. Change of plans! But we came prepared to fight a dragon, not a RAP! Yeah...
• For verosimilitude. If the game is a heavily focused megadungeon chances are that several groups are trying to plunder its riches. In OSR games the PCs rarely play The Chosen Ones, and this helps to reinforce that idea.

But I cheated. The disadvantages I listed before can be circumvented, or at least mitigated. See, we should:

1. Foreshadow and use standard OSR procedures. Reaction rolls. The full deal. Making recurring obstacles and antagonists are hard in TTRPGs, but in the case of a RAP, it can pay off immensely. What if the RAP was sponsored by the local authorities?
2. Make a member of the RAP mute. Or speak alien languages that can only be understood by other members of the RAP. Or add some beasts and animals (dogs, elephants, basilisks, you name it). It also helps if you have a strong RAP theme, and a clear leader/face that will be interacting with the PCs.
3. Ditch the idea of making N character sheets, or giving them templates (for the GLOG). All they need is one or two distinctive abilities each, because of how long a combat will take in general. Do go nuts with the tricks if needed; RAPs are bosses in their own right.

OSR: The Owl's Nest

There's this project that's been bloody stuck in my mind.

Imagine a brewery turned inn that's been putting out the best damn ale in the region. Not only that, but almost any liquor you can imagine. They produce it in the best quality, and no time. If the local ruler asks for a hefty tax mark, no problem. They are swimming in gold and revenue.

Where does all this fine liquor come from? Why is nobody looking into this?

Krzysztof Maziarz

What the @$!*ck is this, Hammer?

Scope is always a problem with these things, but I think I have an exact idea of what I want. In a pinch:

Inn for Downtime + Toolkit + Underground Cellar/Brewery Pointcrawl Adventure

This serves several purposes and goals.

First off, the idea that a lot of adventures start in a tavern. Or have a recess in one. That's true, be it for gathering rumors, meeting NPCs that can turn into hirelings, carousing, or generalized shenanigans. Even in the OSR space, I think it does serve a purpose for in-between adventures for the "what to do in town".

Second, it provides context and a list of interesting NPCs.
Be it recurring ones, or simply random tables of "who's here at the moment". These are great to gather rumors of what's been going on whilst the PCs were out of town. They also provide services and quests the PCs might need.

Third, it's seeds to build your own adventures. This is not described here, and ties to the second point. By having a handful of clear stated NPCs and their agendas, or clear adventure elements, this is an opportunity for the referee to build their own adventures directly from the inn.

Fourth, the inn connects to its own dungeon. This means we can control when the PCs find about this by making some rumors clear. Or they can start asking themselves questions. Where does all the alcohol come from? Why is it of best quality? A pointcrawl requires low prep, and the aim is to provide an unprepared referee with a dungeon locale they can run as-is with minimal preparation.

Nothing too innovate here, just my take. The Yawning Portal has been around for ages, and is basically the same concept of inn+dungeon entrance. Here the second part is a secret fact though.

There's also the Night Wolf Inn adventure module. Full of great ideas, rich with gonzo material oozing from every single page. A gold mine to plunder. But this is DENSE. It's also too rules heavy for my tastes. A more system agnostic version of this module, trimmed and edited, would be a killer. Mandatory Bryce review.

Gestalting The Thing

The thing is, I've never done something like this by my own. First step was to fire an excel document and start writing down ideas and sections for this thing. What tables would I need? What sections? Are there related articles, books, or media I need? Many are obvious and expected just by the premise of inn + cellar dungeon.

Raw, ideas without filtering. No mechanics or discarding yet.

Semi-sorted Section List

• [Inn] Inn Description and Fluff
  Everything going on and obvious before the PCs enter the inn. And if they don't act, how/why it remains in this state.
• [Inn] Inn Map
  Hire a cartographer. Making it abstract or isometric is completely valid (even preferred).
• [Inn] List of Named NPCs
  Relevant NPCs that are always here. The innkeeper family (dwarfs), the resident bard, some of the NPCs that inhabit "Rooms at the Inn". Some provide hooks to underground adventure. There should be someone who can buy and sell magic items. And someone who can provide healing services: a surgeon, or a priest/cleric of a God of pleasure and drink.
• [Inn] d66 Random Inn NPCs
  Random table for generation on the fly. Name, ancestry, quirk, what they want. Brief.
• [Inn] d66 Hirelings (Optional)
  Price per day. Good variety. Ready to go.
  
• [Inn] 6-10 Rooms at the Inn
  Have 3-4 rooms occupied by adventure sprawling NPCs. The inn is famous, so there's a reason why they'd stay here.
• [Inn] The Menu! (Optional)
  A tactile handout for the players to check what they can eat or drink at the inn. Cookie points if it has some hidden clues?
  
• [Tools] Carousing Table
  There are a lot of these. Good ones! I did a downtime one a while back. Base on B/X gold quantities.
• [Tools] List of Inn Games (Optional)
  Self explanatory non-sense, unrelated to anything else.
• [Tools] dX Table of Alcohols and Drugs
  Can provide interactivity, traps, etc. Requires an ad-hoc system for consumption. Certain areas (in the dungeon adventure) experienced differently depending on the amount of drink consumed?
• [Adventure] Locations and Details
  This is a 2 page spread with the table to roll for, with a 1-line description (key words) to give the referee an image whilst they flip to the relevant page of Location and Detail.
• [Adventure] Locations Expanded
  Actual meat of what the PCs are meant to explore. Unique and expandable with the Details + Encounter. Aim for 20 of them.
• [Adventure] Details Explained
  Brief, punchy, distinctive.
• [Adventure] Set Pieces Explained
  Each more of a "boss" encounter. It is the lair of some of the major factions/agents in the adventure. They help to break the entropy and change the dungeon generation procedure. 6 Set Pieces.
• [Adventure] d100 Encounter Table
  Bigger threats the deeper into the dungeon. Maybe combine with Overloaded Encounter Die? Encounter and Omen. Also hazards: tunnels collapsing; lights going on; underground gas bags exploding; etc.
• [Adventure] I Search the Body
  Should be more interesting crap and clues rather than gold. If gold, make it dependent on HD of the slain creature.
• [Adventure] Bestiary/Denizens
  Like the stocking notes below, but expanded. Easy stats, but provide context as to why they are here. Lengthy section.
• [Commentary] FAQ
  Commentary to ease the referee's life based on playtest feedback. Advised rulings, etc.

Underground Cellar/Brewery Pointcrawl Adventure

A procedural generated dungeon adventure of the underground cellar and cavern system below and around the inn. Similar to the very popular (and by me beloved) Gardens of Ynn and Stygian Library, but with Set Pieces. These read as more static locations that advance the whole adventure, and where basically PCs can really fuck things up and change the status quo.

The rearranging bit of the pointcrawl is harder to get than in an infinite garden or a library in cavernous tunnels. But there's a bit about it: the Worm. It creates and collapses new paths at will.

Pointcrawl Generation Mechanics

It takes a turn (10 minutes) to move from one Location to another.
Whenever PCs want to move to a new unexplored Location (therefore expanding the map), roll:

• d6 for Overloaded Encounter Die (encode to d100 to avoid extra rolling for Encounter?)
• 1-2: roll for Encounter -> when they enter new Location that's what's there.
• 3: roll for Encounter (Omen) -> when they enter new Location that's what's there.
• 4: Dungeon Effect (tunnels collapse, gravity reverses, traps reset, etc.)
• 5: torches
• 6: torches/lamps
• d12+Depth for Location (if you roll a 12, consult a Set Piece instead based on the result of the Overloaded Encounter Die)
• d20 for Details

Dungeon Stocking Notes completely raw form 

Devil Management
-Probably the most powerful thing down here.
-Someone got their True Name, and now they're a servant. They resent that and want to see it  changed.
-Will toy with the PCs; finds them amusing and a tool.
-Makes constructs at his service, the Golems. They are soul-infused.

Golems
-Tankard/Bottle/Keg Golems, soul-infused by Devil Management.

Molekin Workers
-Have a contract by Devil Management to keep expanding the place, greasing and restoring the traps, etc.
-Led by a dwarf NPC.
-Take drugs to keep the insane work pace. Imagine "kobolds on cocaine".
-Think the Giant Worm/Centipede is a God "Mama"

Giant Worm
-Creates and generates most of the tunnels here (at least 10ft wide). Very important: if it's killed, dungeon becomes static?
-Very powerful, tons of HD.
-The Molekin worship it calling and call it "Mama".

Caelan Stokkermans

Yeast Elementals
-Think of themselves as gods.
-Myconids as minions?
-The excellent brew producing creature is a dwarf wizard hooked in symbiosis to a humongous Yiest Elemental. (with tubes coming out from the body, etc.)
-Sentient, clever, not too powerful (doable), and has the True Name of Devil Management.

Vinegar Elementals
-Want to take over the status quo and privileged position of the Yeast Elementals.
-Could team up with the PCs. To then stab them in the back.

Antlings/Giant Ants?

Schnapshund
-Scary and powerful. Or pet-able and interesting
-Independent
-Probably the first "big" monster the PCs will meet.
-From unlawfulgames

Corrupt Underground Dryads
-Look like socialite from ancient Greece.
-Want to drink and fornicate, so they're quite happy with Yeast Elementals.

Priest of the Brew God
-Loner; came down here to get the secret ale recipe from the Inn.
-Seeing the truth of the decadence down here, is loosing faith by the second. Understands The Game, hence the desperation.
-Worships Zisdarger, the 'Drinker of Hours' (a drunk God that can reverse/advance time).
-Could still get a miracle going, time related.

Gods, Clerics, and The Game

What qualifies as a God?

Imagine playing N-dimensional chess on a board as big as the solar system. Gazillions of cells. Your adversaries as numerous as sand grains on a beach, each with their own unique winning condition. The Game advances at snail pace, but is constantly moving.

A mortal soul is a mere piece on the board. A speck of dust in the Universe. Insignificant to you and the other players. Yet, you need to beckon the attention of souls, since as an instrumental part of The Game, their cooperation (or consumption) is needed to come further ahead in it. And advance it to your advantage. Without pieces, there's no game.

Winning is a gargantuan task in such a complex play; out of the question. Just advancing The Game in the next favorable move in the foreseeable horizon is enough for any player like you. And remember, time is just another dimension of the board, so The game is NOT linear in that sense. Nobody even remembers what the winning price was. But you bet it must be HUGE. Or the best joke ever perpetrated: a game to keep everyone busy without any cause, effect, or end. Nihilism at its best.

That's it. A God is simply an alien creature playing a game of power against other such entities. The Game. Mortal souls are just oil for the engine, wood for the fire. An Avatar is just a manifestation of a God made simple enough so that a mortal soul can comprehend and interact with it, without having their brains immediately exploding.

Some players (Gods) prefer to keep more active and engaged. Others are more distant. Some are direct on how they interact with the souls. Others act in whispers and shadows. The chances of a playing Avatar/God to pay any mind to a mortal soul is directly proportional to how much they think acting will bring them further in The Game.

Weirdo Gods, Tim Molloy

A mortal soul may ask: how do I become a God? How do I get to take decisions in The Game, and stop being a coin to trade, a resource to burn and consume by the decision-makers? See, unfortunately despite its quasi-infinite vastness, the number of player agents is decisively finite. Quasi, remember?

Not only that, but the number of players has to remain constant. Any perished Avatar/God has to be immediately replaced by an eager side-liner. Failing to do so hastily breaks an essential equilibrium, and such a blasphemy echoes through existence, past present and future. That's why, despite insane competition in The Game, everyone is happy to see a new face replace the old one. A God has to be completely forgotten to die. Its pieces on the board completely removed, passages on tomes and writings fully erased. It takes eons for such a happenstance. But as just an additional dimension, time is an afterthought in this whole business. So a God dying does comes up.

The Cleric

There are priests, proselytizers, lecturers, moralists, atheists, and a full plethora or other individuals devoting a considerable amount of effort studying The Game, its implications, and how mortal souls interact with it (hint: as victims). Then, you have Clerics. They GROK exactly the irony of their position. Collecting thought, praise, and worship to a God that sees its devout and pious zealots as ants it ultimately has to consume (fuel-providing ants, then).

But an Avatar/God does need the work of a Cleric. Or at the very least it facilitates their position on The Game considerably. A conduit of mortal souls, a Cleric's work is greatly appreciated. Their worth unquestionable. Hence the concession of occasional Prayers to lure those juicy souls like mosquitoes in a swamp going after the lamp.

Inter-cosmic symbiosis with abysmal unbalanced power dynamics. But at least both agreed to play.

Good luck, pal! A. Shipwright

The Magic User?

Magic-Users (wizards, mages, sorcerers). Joke is on them. Their magic and powers come from the exact same source as for Clerics. The Game. And its players. A MU just ignores being part of play. Denies the possibility by principle and philosophy. Approaching everything like a black box. Taking short-cuts, trying to bend the rules of The Game. Poke it, and see what works, without fully rationalizing or understanding.

Whenever a summoning circle is laid out, pentagrams and candles on the floor, a MU is doing the exact same work as a Cleric would do. They just don't understand the consequences and price of what they're asking for. Gods will chuckle at their board, seeing that speck of dust sparkle for a second. Bless the ignorant fouls.

OSR: Running Maienstein / Stonehell

Why Stonehell?

It's tough to assemble a game. My aim is to prepare one where the goal is clear, the rules are light and streamlined, and there's a big enough player base interested in playing games. This will be my first megadungeon run, and I choose Stonehell. Here's why:

• It's dirt cheap. ~6$ for a 138 page megadungeon PDF. ~13$ for the softcover version (the first half of Stonehell, that is). I got both. Good and to-the-point writing. And if we get through that? There's a second tome detailing lower levels with the second part of the dungeon.
• Layout is praised. And I can see why. It follows the one-page dungeon format. Seems like it would be fairly easy to run out of the book, with minimal page-flipping or rewriting.
• Familiarity and gradual descent to strangeness. It covers the "trope" monsters and challenges one expects from a D&D game. This is good to introduce new players to the hobby. But it also gets weirder the deeper we get into the megadungeon. I like this design choice to not go full gonzo from the beginning.
• It's got decent coverage on reddit/blogs/discords to the point that I can seek advice and guidance from the great minds on the internet.

I started running two tables of low frequency play-by-post through Discord.

This thing contains spoilers (duh..) to the Stonehell module. If you're sensitive to them, stop reading and go do something else.

 

Backdrop Setting

The premise for the game will be that player's are in an outpost town (let's call it Priebe), a good 2 days travel away from the biggest city, Maienstein. Region is full of dwarves, Maienstein being originally ruled by them. The city has contracted the Gold Griffon Curio Corporation to recover treasure from Stonehell, to finance their upcoming war against the rival port city of Seciras.

This gives me the chance to introduce an alternative for players bored of the megadungeon, and reaching a high level to go off rails. Joining a mercenary company in the upcoming war, abandoning Stonehell altogether, going into the politics of Seciras. And more importantly, a strong motivation of why the dwarves of Maienstein don't take care of plundering the riches of Stonehell themselves.

I will keep the distance from Priebe to Stonehell at 1/2 a day, and have a random encounter check to get there and back (x-in-y chance). This should be a mutating random table reflecting interesting humanoids, bandits, beasts or simple travelers, that spice up the game. Objective is not to keep the game out of Stonehell (that would be an error), but paint a picture of the setting (without front loading!) and that traveling is dangerous.

Minor Change

Level 1 of Stonehell features Kobolds and other staples of low-level adventuring. I'm fine with that focus on tropes, and will embrace it. But I will replace Kobolds with Molekin, and make them a deal more organized and unique. I dislike the 5e kobolds as little dragonkin. And it's a way to imprint the Ancestries I decided for Maienstein. Why kobolds? Choose the cute disgusting little buggers instead.

Molekin evolution, by Manuel Castañón

Rules

For ease of entry, rules will be my Knave hack, Knave++.

Keeping a reference document  available online at all times for the players is extremely important. With the rules, table etiquette, tone, and expectations too. This can be referenced during game (price lists, rules), used for character creation, etc.

There's no better advice than to eat your own dog food. At least 2-3 mechanics I want to tweak already. Inconsistencies can be ironed out. Players and friends can give excellent advice. I'm glad and blessed we can work on the game as we go.

I'm also putting together a Referee's Guide for Knave++. Which is nothing else than a compilation of my favorite mechanics and practical advice on how to run a game. Overloaded encounter die, mechanics, etc.

In this discussion we get some advice on tracking turns for depleting resources and random encounter checks when exploring a dungeon complex. Food rations, water, torches, lamp oil, etc. This is very important for this type of game. Luckily, Stonehell already has encounter tables for each section of the dungeon, and I will be using the overloaded encounter die mechanic.

Learning to Megadungeon

 

... one level at a time

Cohesiveness is important, and frankly seems to be the selling point for such a campaign. Especially when comparing to a fun-house dungeon or a smaller dungeon. Levels should have themes, in its inhabitants, architecture, and current state.

Restocking tables, to keep things fresh. If the PCs explore and clean of monsters an area, it should remain alive. Don't want to keep the PCs "cleaning" the same level over and over again, but the environment changes and mutates.
Pg 9 of Stonehell has some basic guidelines on how to restock the dungeon, and remain it an ever-changing environ.
Each level can have its own theme, but there should be a cross-section. Short cuts. Loops. Vertical connectors.

This article is a good write-up with advice on how to run these kind of games. Key takeaways are:

1. Decide on grid vs loose mapping (and more importantly, who is doing that, the players, the referee?).
   This point is the one that's biting my ass at the moment. The game will be fully online, using Discord as the platform of choice.
   It would be fairly easy for me to clean the dungeon maps from the PDF, remove room keys, and use fog of war or similar.
   But that might be too forgiving for the players.
   So if we want to draw a map (and account for a PC or hireling doing so!), what best? I doodle the map? Should the players draw my painstaking descriptions? I have no answer.
2. Make sure there are enough loops, and branches present informed choices for the players.
   Stonehell design leans to this structure already.
   During the game, I have to remind myself to present choices to the players.
   An interesting trick is to provide maps/rumors, and the mole market of level 1 could be excellent for that.
3. Random encounters should be more interesting than "2d6 kobolds molekin".
   Maybe tying them to factions in the megadungeon?
   Additional roll for flavor/situation and lookup on separate table?
   How much content can I generate on the fly without over-saturating?
4. Traps should be interesting enough to encourage interaction, but safe enough to avoid skipping them be the default behavior.
   This link provides additional traps for the megadungeon.
• ... on a similar note, secret doors should be explained in the environment, and another opportunity for interaction with the environment. 
• ... there should be an obvious benefit for trying to interact/overcome the trap.
  Be it treasure, a door, a key. Show 'em the carrot!

Certainly there's a lot more to learn about the fine art of running a megadungeon like a boss.
But baby steps, these 4 pointers (+ tracking of player resources via turns) seem like an ambitious but logical first goal.

Given the price of the softcover, I will use it as a workbook, and just go all crazy on it. Color-mark entries (monsters=yellow, traps=green, treasure=blue) on each dungeon section page. And add post-its for each major section. This will help me reference the material when running, and spotting rooms quickly.

Take them markers out, pal!

Logistics

Justin Alexander has a series of great articles about running an open table.
They provide a great framework for me to phrase and write down the logistics to this campaign.

• Quick Character Creation & Easy Access Systems: Knave is perfect for this! Sprinkling a couple extra random tables (Ancestry for instance) to bring forward even more OSR
• Open Group Formation: not really the case here. But megadungeons are great it a player decides to drop off the game. Knave characters are mostly defined by their equipment (and in our case, an Ancestry and couple Knacks). So no big issue if the thief is sitting out this delve, just purchase the right equipment and cover for them.
• Default Goal & Default Action: get treasure. Get it from Stonehell. Spend it for XP. Simple. Clean.
• Regenerative / Extensible Content: Stonehell comprises two books, at about 280ish pages of megadungeon to explore. Pg. 10 mentions there are several opportunities to add extra custom levels/rooms (which I could do if I wanted). Restocking too. Frankly, there's plenty of game in here. Running out of content is not within my worries.

We are doing most of the game on Discord, with rolls done with a bot, and we have a game wiki to store the character sheets and most important information.

The biggest pain I have at the moment is with regards to mapping. Roll20 is nice as it lets me share a full blown grid map, but is very overblown for the task, and not mobile friendly (and a lot of times players post on their phones). For now I'm using google drawings, and looking for better alternatives. 

Campaign Time Management and upkeep costs during downtime will be winged, assuming PCs have a place to stay and basic food at Priebe. A 300 day calendar (10 30-day months) seems sensible, and is easy to remember. In-game time during a megadungeon should stay fairly low, so I'm not too worried about continuity. Characters returning to Priebe will be enforced to cash in loot for XP, although I could allow an outpost if the players are really clever and resourceful about it.

Unsorted To Do List

Games are pretty much started, but in early stages. Very early ones. The we-are-exploring-the-canyon stage. But I'm having a blast so far. And the PbP is very suited for this sort of megadungeon play. Content will be added and fleshed out pretty much as we go. So here is a short list of things that should get done (I will link in case any develop to their own post):

• Finalize the Referee's Guide to Knave++.
• Find a bloody mapping solution! For Discord and mobile play.
• Regional hexmap of the Stonehell area in the Maienstein area. Good excuse to finally use HexKit.