Monday 25 July 2016

Barrowmaze: The Forbidden Caverns of the Archaia

Greg "Barromaze" Gillespie returns with a brand new old-school epic mega dungeon project - The Forbidden Caverns of the Archaia.

I can't tell you much about the project because it's all top secret, mind-bending, paradigm shifting awesomeness. And it is largely unwritten, undrawn and unexplored territory. However I can show you this drawing that Greg commissioned me to do of a small group of adventurers before an enormous valley of strange rock formations and even stranger dungeon entrances cut into the sides.

The adventure begins...


So Greg is raising funds to do The Forbidden Caverns of the Archaia on Kickstarter, which went live yesterday and is already 86% funded, which is great. Thematically dungeon itself will focus on Humanoid Monster types (in the same way Barrowmaze focused on the undead), will contain a load of art (from me and the rest of the Barrowmaze crew), and provide a whole bunch of OSR, D&D, B/X ideas and gaming material useable for years to come.  http://kck.st/2alP0u7

Thursday 14 July 2016

Britopocalypse 70



ᛟᛗᛖ᛫ᚠᚱᛠᚾᛞᛚᛃ᛫ᛒᛟᛗᛒᛋ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᚠᚨᛚᛚ᛫ᛟᚾ᛫ᛋᛚᛟᚢᚷᚺ᛭᛫ᛁᛏ᛫ᛁᛋᚾᛏ᛫ᚠᛁᛏ᛫ᚠᛟᚱ᛫ᚺᚢᛗᚨᚾᛋ᛫ᚾᛟᚹ᛬᛫ᚦᛖᚱᛖ᛫ᛁᛋᚾᛏ᛫ᚷᚱᚨᛋᛋ᛫ᛏᛟ᛫ᚷᚱᚨᛎᛖ᛫ᚨ᛫ᚲᛟᚹ᛬᛫ᛋᚹᚨᚱᛗ᛫ᛟᚡᛖᚱ᛬ᛞᛠᚦ᛭


//.op/./ ᚲᛟᛗᛖ᛫ᚠᚱᛠᚾᛞᛚᛃ᛫ᛒᛟᛗᛒᛋ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᚠᚨᛚᛚ᛫ᛟᚾ᛫ᛋᛚᛟᚢᚷᚺ᛭᛫ᛁᛏ᛫ᛁᛋᚾᛏ᛫ᚠᛁᛏ᛫ᚠᛟᚱ᛫ᚺᚢᛗᚨᚾᛋ᛫ᚾᛟᚹ᛬᛫ᚦᛖᚱᛖ᛫ᛁᛋᚾᛏ᛫ᚷᚱᚨᛋᛋ᛫ᛏᛟ᛫ᚷᚱᚨᛎᛖ᛫ᚨ᛫ᚲᛟᚹ᛬᛫ᛋᚹᚨᚱᛗ᛫ᛟᚡᛖᚱ᛬ᛞᛠᚦ᛭᛫ᚲᛟᛗᛖ᛬ᛒᛟᛗᛒᛋ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛒᛚᛟᚹ᛫ᛏᛟ᛫ᛋᛗᛁᚦᛖᚱᛖᛖᚾᛋ᛫ᚦᛟᛋᛖ᛫ᚨᛁᚱ᛫᛭ᚲᛟᚾᛞᛁᛏᛁᛟᚾᛖᛞ᛬ᛒᚱᛁᚷᚺᛏ᛫ᚲᚨᚾᛏᛖᛖᚾᛋ᛬᛫ᛏᛁᚾᚾᛖᛞ᛫ᚠᚱᚢᛁᛏ᛬ᛏᛁᚾᚾᛖᛞ᛫ᛗᛠᛏ᛬ᛏᛁᚾᚾᛖᛞ᛫ᛗᛁᛚᚲ᛬ᛏᛁᚾᚾᛖᛞ᛫ᛒᛠᚾᛋ᛬᛫ᛏᛁᚾᚾᛖᛞ᛫ᛗᛁᚾᛞᛋ᛬ᛏᛁᚾᚾᛖᛞ᛫



ᛒᚱᛠᚦ᛬᛫ᛗᛖᛋᛋ᛫ᚢᛈ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛗᛖᛋᛋ᛫ᚦᛖᛃ᛫ᚲᚨᛚᛚ᛫ᚨ᛫ᛏᛟᚹᚾ᛭᛫ᚨ᛫ᚺᛟᚢᛋᛖ᛫ᚠᛟᚱ᛫ᚾᛁᚾᛖᛏᛃ᛭ᛋᛖᚡᛖᚾ᛫ᛞᛟᚹᚾ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛟᛜᚲᛖ᛫ᚨ᛫ᚹᛖᛖᚲ᛫ᚨ᛫ᚺᚨᛚᚠ᛫ᚨ᛫ᚲᚱᛟᚹᚾ᛫᛫ᚠᛟᚱ᛫ᛏᚹᛖᚾᛏᛃ᛫ᛃᛠᚱᛋ᛬᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᚷᛖᛏ᛫ᚦᚨᛏ᛫ᛗᚨᚾ᛫ᚹᛁᚦ᛫ᛞᛟᚢᛒᛚᛖ᛫ᚷᛁᚾ᛫ᚹᚺᛟᛚᛚ᛫ᚨᛚᚹᚨᛃᛋ᛫ᚷᛠᛏ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᚨᛚᚹᚨᛃᛋ᛫ᚹᛁᚾ᛬



././// // plus_+__________________________............



᛫ᚹᚺᛟ᛫ᚹᚨᛋᚺᛖᛋ᛫ᚺᛁᛋ᛫ᚱᛖᛈᚢᛚᛋᛁᚡᛖ᛫ᛋᚲᛁᚾ᛫᛫ᛁᚾ᛫ᚹᛟᛗᛖᚾᛋ᛫ᛏᛠᚱᛋ᛬᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛋᛗᚨᛋᚺ᛫ᚺᛁᛋ᛫ᛞᛖᛋᚲ᛫ᛟᚠ᛫ᛈᛟᛚᛁᛋᚺᛖᛞ᛫ᛟᚨᚲ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛋᛗᚨᛋᚺ᛫ᚺᛁᛋ᛫ᚺᚨᚾᛞᛋ᛫ᛋᛟ᛫ᚢᛋᛖᛞ᛫ᛏᛟ᛫ᛋᛏᚱᛟᚲᛖ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛋᛏᛟᛈ᛫ᚺᛁᛋ᛫ᛒᛟᚱᛜ᛫ᛞᛁᚱᛏᛃ᛫ᛃᛟᚲᛖ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛗᚨᚲᛖ᛫ᚺᛁᛗ᛫ᛃᛖᛚᛚ᛬᛫ᛒᚢᛏ᛫ᛋᛈᚨᚱᛖ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛒᚨᛚᛞ᛫ᛃᛟᚢᛜ᛫ᚲᛚᛖᚱᚲᛋ᛫ᚹᚺᛟ᛫ᚨᛞᛞ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛈᚱᛟᚠᛁᛏᛋ᛫ᛟᚠ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛋᛏᛁᛜᚲᛜ᛫ᚲᚨᛞ᛬᛫


ᛁᛏᛋ᛫ᚾᛟᛏ᛫ᚦᛇᚱ᛫ᚠᚨᚢᛚᛏ᛫ᚦᚨᛏ᛫ᚦᛖᛃ᛫ᚨᚱᛖ᛫ᛗᚨᛞ᛬᛫ᚦᛖᛃᚡᛖ᛫ᛏᚨᛋᛏᛖᛞ᛫ᚺᛖᛚᛚ᛬ᛁᛏᛋ᛫ᚾᛟᛏ᛫ᚦᛇᚱ᛫ᚠᚨᚢᛚᛏ᛫ᚦᛖᛃ᛫ᛞᛟ᛫ᚾᛟᛏ᛫ᚲᚾᛟᚹ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛒᛁᚱᛞᛋᛟᛜ᛫ᚠᚱᛟᛗ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᚱᚨᛞᛁᛟ᛬ᛁᛏᛋ᛫ᚾᛟᛏ᛫ᚦᛇᚱ᛫ᚠᚨᚢᛚᛏ᛫ᚦᛖᛃ᛫ᛟᚠᛏᛖᚾ᛫ᚷᛟ᛫ᛏᛟ᛫ᛗᚨᛁᛞᛖᚾᚺᛠᛞ.ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛏᚨᛚᚲ᛫ᛟᚠ᛫ᛋᛈᛟᚱᛏ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛗᚨᚲᛖᛋ᛫ᛟᚠ᛫ᚲᚨᚱᛋ.ᛁᚾ᛫ᚡᚨᚱᛁᛟᚢᛋ᛫ᛒᛟᚷᚢᛋ᛭ᛏᚢᛞᛟᚱ᛫ᛒᚨᚱᛋ᛫.ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛞᚨᚱᛖᚾᛏ᛫ᛚᛟᛟᚲ᛫



// see_____ also______

Armageddon 1981

Retropocalypse Now

c.f. //ᚢᛈ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛋᛖᛖ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛋᛏᚨᚱᛋ.ᛒᚢᛏ᛫ᛒᛖᛚᚷ᛫ᛁᚾᛋᛏᛠᛞ᛬.ᛁᚾ᛫ᛚᚨᛒᛟᚢᚱ᛭ᛋᚨᚡᛜ᛫ᚺᛟᛗᛖᛋ᛬ᚹᛁᚦ᛫ᚲᚨᚱᛖ.ᚦᛇᚱ᛫ᚹᛁᚡᛖᛋ᛫ᚠᚱᛁᛎᛎ᛫ᛟᚢᛏ᛫ᛈᛖᚱᛟᛪᛁᛞᛖ᛫ᚺᚨᛁᚱ.ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛞᚱᛃ

᛫ᛁᛏ᛫ᛁᚾ᛫ᛋᛃᚾᚦᛖᛏᛁᚲ᛫ᚨᛁᚱ.ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᛈᚨᛁᚾᛏ᛫ᚦᛇᚱ᛫ᚾᚨᛁᛚᛋ᛬.ᚲᛟᛗᛖ᛬ᚠᚱᛠᚾᛞᛚᛃ᛫ᛒᛟᛗᛒᛋ᛫ᚨᚾᛞ᛫ᚠᚨᛚᛚ᛫ᛟᚾ᛫ᛋᛚᛟᚢᚷᚺ.ᛏᛟ᛫ᚷᛖᛏ᛫ᛁᛏ᛫ᚱᛠᛞᛃ᛫ᚠᛟᚱ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᛈᛚᛟᚢᚷᚺ᛬.ᚦᛖ᛫ᚲᚨᛒᛒᚨᚷᛖᛋ᛫ᚨᚱᛖ᛫ᚲᛟᛗᛜ᛫ᚾᛟᚹ᛬.ᚦᛖ᛫ᛠᚱᚦ᛫ᛖᛪᚺᚨᛚᛖᛋ ᛬ the /. earth ./.. exhales :

_____/_____________________./_______________ _______/_______________//___________________

 // transmissi0n c- |\| cls

Monday 4 July 2016

A Tale of Barkspite & Hilsod


It was past Midsummer, the cloying grey blanket of sky still hung too close to the valley floor, a grey Spring ebbed and flowed into a long, dull half-Autumn. A bank of ancient trees stood guard against the tilled earth.  Two shapes, roughly man-like clambered towards each other through the tanlged roots of hedgegrowth. One small, silent and skurrying quickly, the other maybe twice the size of a full grown man, noisly breaking branches as it lumbered along.

"Ow do Barkspite" A deep gravelly deliberate drawl issued from the mouth of the greater creature. It spoke slowly, as if each word took immense effort and its face would slightly contort, like resulting sound was somehow a slight surprise,  the meaning unknown to its speaker.
"Oi Good. Yep. Hilsod. Ow be yan?" The diminutive figure spat out a high pitched, sharp, scratched throaty response, one might imagine the sound had magpies had been trained to speak the language of rats. The two figures eyed each other warily.
"Abrawd in the valley this morn." Hilsod droned, somewhere between a statement and a question.
"We be. Yep. We..."  the pointed little head nodding vigorously as it spoke and suddenly stopped.

The two figures paused, their eyes glancing skyward. A red kite drew a broad circle overhead in the thick silvery air. Below, the odd pair stood perfectly still, watching as the bird lazily changed course and curved away across the fields. As soon as it was out of sight, Hilsod gave a slight shudder and both returned to their conversation.

"Av yoo 'eard the crows"
"Yep. Yep. War comes. We be ready." The tiny creature held up the spear and shield as if to demonstrate.
A broken grin lurched uncertainly across Hilsods broad face  tilting his spear one way then another, as if testing its weight. "Aye" he said, followed by a low, heavy sigh before continuing.
"The rocks." The Ogryns large head nodding backwards up the hillside from where he had came. "Them say Yimir dreams of blood again."
The small head noded quickly. "Crows say The Great Table at Urucksfjord is broken" the small eyes widening in fear and wonder. If the words meant anything to Hilsod, he didn't react, but continued as if speaking to himself.
"The land wants red carrion flesh and burning. The soil wants 'is blood." A gnarled huge dirty hand tried to wipe the involuntary drool away from the solid, square chin, but leaving only a smeary mess.  "No. No rest for Hilsod. No rest for Barkspite."
"A! No roots. No berries. No worms." A grin of broken teeth, eyes sharp as flint, an excited greedy hiss "Dead Bones and Flesh!" Barkspites long, black tongue furtively licking dry lips, long thin fingers involuntarily stretching and clawing as it spoke.
"Oose blood? Oose awld bawnes? Yaws, hedge-crawler? Moin? All be dust." The great misshapen head shook slowly. "Yimir stirs. The earth turns. The crown is lost. The table is broken." A meaningful finger stabbed at his own broad mail-covered chest "Oor Oath stands. We eat no thing that speaks. Not rock. Nor flesh neither."

The tiny hard eyes in cruel face did not soften, but the goeblyns long nose lowered to the ground and sounded only a small squeaking acquiescence, or perhaps a brittle laugh. Then suddenly Barkspite snapped upright.
"We tell news?" raised forehead an pointing spear to a rough white cottage across the wheatfield.
"Aye. Tell we mus'".
"Dvergr no loike us. They no lissen. No rock. No crow. No goeblyn. No lissen."
"Moin cloak an kilt. An' your'un too. Wove by their great-clan-mother long ago. They 'member the auld tales woven afore toim. They listen now. Or we make 'em listen."



Stats for WRP85 / Otherhammer / Warhammer. Use Ogre and Goblin profiles for D&D.

Hilsod



Hilsod the Ogryn

NameM WSBSSTWIALdIntClWpSavePV
Hilsod
5.532453325457540

Weapons: Spear
Armour: Shield & Chainmail
Skills: Consume Alcohol, Auguries & Omens.

Hilsod is an Ogryn general labourer.

Barkspite


Barkspite the Goeblyn

NameM WSBSSTWIALdIntClWpSavePV
Barkspite
3.52222131777764.25


Weapons: Spear
Armour: Shield
Skills: Concealment: Rural, Poacher, Set Trap, Silent Move: Rural, Spot Traps, Secret Language: Woodsfolk.

Barkspite is a Goeblyn Warden from the Hardthorne warren.


Part of an art exchange, I drew a banner for and in return painted some minatures for me by Jean Baptiste Gadriel, read and see some much better photos of the project. I am of course, very happy with the results. Cheers JB!

Barkspite the Goeblin was sculpted by our good friend Tre' Manor at Red Box Games.
Hilsod the Ogryn was sculpted by Bob Olley for the Fantasy Warlord range and is available from the fine folks at SHQ miniatures
Backgrounds painted by Arthur Rackham.
Photographs (apologies for the focus) text and Da Roolz by [ZHU].