The Cha'alt Experience [Kickstarter]

 

It's been a little while since I've launched a Kickstarter campaign.  Well, now's the time to fund The Cha'alt Experience: Designing Worlds Like A Fucking Boss.

Here's the link.  It's already doing pretty well, but I hear that a bigger first day helps with the algorithm.  So, do what you can to pledge early, raise awareness, and spread that url around like manure.

So, what is it?  I've had such an amazing time creating Cha'alt (first as a world, then as a living, breathing, undulating campaign setting) that I wanted to share my experience, showing you what worked, what didn't, and how you can create your very own world... or simply adapt an existing world to you and your unique preferences.  

This is a subject I know well, so help me unleash my dark wisdom upon an unsuspecting universe and watch it tremble, quivering with involuntary glee!

If you have a question or comment, post something down below...

Thanks,

VS

p.s. Cha'alt hardcover books are part of the backer rewards, but now's the time to start thinking about VENGER CON III: Revenge of the OSR - info and weekend badges. 

Shaking The Cobwebs Loose

 

I think it had been at least 3 weeks since I'd sat behind the screen.  For me, that seems like an eternity without Game Mastering...

Which, now that I think about it, makes me wonder how long it's been since I was a player.  Wow, it's been years, maybe 4 or 5 years.  That seems incredible to me.

Even though I want to GM as much as I possibly can in about 3 weeks from now... VENGER CON, baby!  I still want to play.  Would love to experience Cha'alt from the other side of the screen.  Hopefully, I'll get that opportunity.

Anyway, last night's game was fantastic (as per usual).  5 players, which is ideal for a virtual table.  This time I expanded the session to TWO WHOLE HOURS!!!  I know, your mind must be absolutely blown.  I'll wait while you scrape up the more solid bits and scoop it back into your brain-hole.

The usual pondering Kort'thalis meta-sigil occurred.  Remember this?  And I listened to this and this.  I like some dark ambient in the background, no matter if it's live or virtual.

The session was new.  I went with a technique which suits me when it's just a casual online session.  I had a bunch of notes and then just winged-it the rest of the time.  A lot of people don't like text only, but in a virtual game, I prefer it.  Since people usually think out what they want to say before typing it out, I get a minute or two before players respond to what I've said.  That extra time is all I need to come up with 3 or 4 options, and then I just pick the best and go with it.

Eventually, I'll turn all these little scenarios into bite-sized, one-shot PDFs, and then include them in book 4 of the Cha'alt trilogy.  But that won't be until the 4th quarter of 2023 (at the earliest).

Anyway, subterranean temple the PCs spotted after wading into the final moments of a pitched battle between two opposing forces.  One dressed in blue, the other orange.

I can't say anymore, except that everyone but the cleric was knocked unconscious at one point, yet no one died (which is nice).  Also, I borrowed liberally from a 1985 American scifi TV show that never made it to the finale of season one.  It's called Otherworld.

Yes, I have "bad" taste in movies and television (not really, but that's what a lot of my haters say) and I haven't aged beyond 12 or 14 when it comes to what I think is cool (Ok, that's true.  You got me there).

I will, however, post noteworthy lines from the session, along with a bit of commentary...

• "The rules are only a guideline, anyway." It's fine if players ask me, "Should I have died?" or "Don't I need to roll for that?" But don't be surprised when I let the game happen.  Flow stems from immersion, I find.  The more the game feels real, the more flexibility you have.  It's a GMing vibe I'm going to start calling PSYCHOCOSM.  Yes, I'm going to just start saying "psychocosm" in casual RPG conversations like people should know WTF I'm talking about.  Lol, hilarious!
• "Greige is chartreuse for color-phobes." 
• "Down the hatch." I don't know why, but that makes me laugh every time I read it.
• "Real adventurers don't ask, they just do." Don't worry, this wasn't about sex. One PC asked another PC if he should go topside and investigate the dead body they found several minutes ago.  And I'm like, don't ask; go do it! The player said he did that for in-game / character reasons, which is fine... nevertheless, my point still stand.
• "Baja Blast, clearly the true treasure."  You just had to be there, man.

Well, thanks for reading.  If you have any questions, just ask.  Hope to see many of you at VENGER CON.  It's so close now, I can almost taste it...

VS

p.s. If you haven't grabbed my latest Cha'alt one-shot adventure, it's available direct from me - only $3.  Details here.

Cha'altification

 

I had an idea... demonstrate how to Cha'altify your basic D&D adventure premise.  

If you want to watch the video, there you go.

Here's what you do, take something simple like the PCs are hired to rescue a princess from the clutches of an evil sorcerer.

Then, you take aspects of that basic scenario and make it more eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, and post-apocalyptic [these are the macro elements of Cha'alt].  Boom, now it's Cha'altified!

• Eldritch - the princess is cursed with second-sight because she was born when Alga'al, the "demon star" was in ascendance.  Since puberty (she's around 20 now), the princess has experienced visions of things she couldn't possibly know.
• Gonzo - the sorcerer is half banana and the majority of his minions are banana-men.
• Science-Fantasy - the sorcerer has made his lair in the remains of a recently crashed starship.
• Post-Apocalypse - the sorcerer is using the captured princess to locate an A.I. bured somewhere in the desert wasteland of S'kbah.

If you want to go even further, totally optional, here are some more "tags" to further Cha'alt-up this adventure [micro elements]...

• Comedic / Grim-Dark - the princess' father is dead.  It's actually her uncle who wants her "rescued".  He's hired the PCs to take the princess away from the sorcerer and leave her in the desert to be devoured by sandworms.
• Pop-Culture - It is rumored that two droids survived the starship crash.  After the ship went down, these droids (Goldie and U2) walked to a nearby settlement in search of employment.
• Sleazy - The princess only receives her visions during orgasm.

There you go.  Put whatever vanilla fantasy plot through the Cha'alt Filter, and you'll generate inspiration for terrific, out-of-the-box flourishes that take your pedestrian scenario to the next level and beyond!

VS

p.s. Do I still have gorgeous hardcovers (limited edition, signed and numbered) of both Cha'alt and Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise?  As of right now... yes.  Details here!

Confessions, Stress, and Sigils in Cremza'amirikza'am

 

Ok, this was a wild one.

Not only did I need to playtest game mechanics that were totally new to me, but I reveal an occult method I've been using to up the immersion factor.  Let's get into it.

I had 4 players... 2 veterans returning and 2 noobs (1 of which had to leave early because of some emergency).  They were...

• Shiraz, a reptilian cleric of Dagon specializing in the combat fork.
• Meat, a pin-headed, axe wielding human fighter (but flavored like a barbarian) looking to make enough gold to keep him in wine and wenches.
• Hiraeth, a human fighter seeking knowledge (this is the player who left early).
• Grrber, a human fighter (this player came prepared with a Paizo-approved character, but then quickly learned we don't do that here).

Disoriented from eating weird fruit, the PCs found themselves at a crossroads, unsure where they came from or what might be down the next tunnel.  The magenta illumination was faint, but ever present.

I don't normally share the "open crawl" portion that starts off the adventure because I basically just ad-lib a paragraph or two that makes sense for the potential encounters the PCs might face.  But today, I'm copy/pasting it...

Whether you've lived on Cha'alt all your lives or only a few short years, it feels like forever. You grew tired of poverty, hot sand, and even hotter twin suns nestled in the fuchsia sky. The irradiated desert wasteland was giving you headaches, anyway. Why not try your luck in a network of caves and tunnels so ancient and subterranean that even the Gods can't see what's going on down there? You've been exploring Cremza'amirikza'am for a few days now... possibly weeks. Choose a motivation. Maybe it's treasure or becoming a formidable opponent or knowledge of the long-dead snake-men empire?

Ok, what's next?  Oh yeah, Shiraz wanted use his sense of smell to detect humanoids nearby.  His faculties picked-up on something.  The scent of sex was in the stale air, and the foursome followed it west, where they encountered several demons running train on a brunette woman.

There was some debate on whether the PCs should leave them be, since the woman didn't seem to be in distress, but ultimately they decided to take advantage of the situation and surprise the demons.

Meat got Advantage for his sneak-attack, killing the first demon.  We used the easier initiative system that Shiraz' player named TWERPS... Thieves, Warriors, Enemies, Retainers, Priests, and Sorcerers.  

Later that round, Meat went for his standard attack after the surprise thrust.  He rolled mediocre damage, but I asked him if he wanted to take the first of three stress dice.  He did, and rolled well enough to lop off the demon's head.

The cleric of Dagon blasted a demon with an eldritch ray, realizing afterwards that using such supernatural powers drained his own health, just like sorcerers.  The sudden cost comes from the idea that Cremza'amirikza'am is shielded from the prying eyes of the Gods.  What they cannot see, they cannot do.  So, a priest's powers must be fueled by himself.

By the end of the battle, everyone got some good hits in, easily defeating the demons who rolled poorly (thanks to my virtual dice).

Afterwards, the brunette was still in the mood and was all over Grrber.  He roleplayed the character well, not wanting to dilute his seed amongst all the demon jizz.  But this was Cremza'amirikza'am and the magenta intensified.  I had him roll a skill-check (something I rarely do in these games) to see if he could hold back.  One failed roll later and the brunette coaxed it out of him.  

Meat said "Weak pull-out game," and we all laughed. 

While that was happening, I tried out the confessional mechanic.  This is something my friend Judd talked about on MeWe, explaining an aspect of the RPG InSpectres which I hadn't heard about.  Basically, you treat it like a reality TV show where characters occasionally break off, go to a booth just off-camera, and speak directly to the viewing audience.  My spin on it is a little different than InSpectres, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due.

I had a feeling this would add a whole other layer of meta gonzo to proceedings, and I wasn't disappointed.  Meat did a great job, earning himself another point of Divine Favor.  After history was made, the characters continued on... post-looting, of course.

We only had about 20 minutes left of the 90 so I came up with a weird encounter on the spot.  The other two stress dice were used, as well as, additional Divine Favors.  At the end, the PCs prevailed but found a curious object... which caused Shiraz a bit of consternation.  

So, another playtest with the initiative system was most welcome.  Still enjoying that.  The stress dice seemed to go well.  I don't want to go into too much detail about that, but am looking forward to hearing player feedback.  As for the confessional, this feels like something I've been searching for a long while but just couldn't put my finger on it until my conversation with Judd.

But now it's all falling into place and it seems perfect for the masterpiece of stupid gonzo that is Cha'alt.  Hopefully, Matthew (Meat's player) enjoyed his very brief stint in the confessional booth.  We've just taken our first steps in a whole new world.

Last but not least, the Kort'thalis sigil.  I've been interested in the occult and magic since I was young.  Post-college I really began studying things like chaos magic, which is big with sigils.  Kort'thalis is something I designed long ago, and decided to use it to increase the immersion of my games.  It was originally designed to be a meta-sigil, so I knew Kort'thalis had the capacity to help.

Before each game, I meditate on the sigil for a minute (sometimes longer).  My intention is to make the shared world we imagine as real as possible, as if the characters were actually in Cha'alt, and events were actually taking place in this alternate universe we've manifested as a group.  

Might sound strange or stupid to some, but after a dozen or so sessions, I think it's working.  The games I run have turned a corner in some ways, and the immersion on my end feels noticeably heightened.  You can only do so much with virtual, text-only, and 90 minutes, but we do what we can, right?

If anyone is unconvinced yet still open-minded, I encourage you join one of my Roll20 games.  I'll be running another one-shot sometime after Xma'as.  Follow me on Twitter @VengerSatanis to be kept up to date.

Also, HERE is my latest video that explains a few things.  Please comment, like, subscribe, and share!  I'd like to hit 1,000 subscribers by the new year.

Thanks for reading,

VS

p.s. The holiday sale is almost over - $90 for both luxury hardcover books, signed, numbered, and personalized by yours truly.  That price includes shipping within the USA (outside, add $40).  Paypal me at: Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

GameHole Con 2021 [part 3]

 

I'm not going to do a blog post for each and every game I ran at GameHole Con this year, but this one was really cool.  If you want to see part 1 or part 2, check 'em out.

On day two (Friday), I got a chance to run players through my latest creation, and one that I'm still working on.  It's the subterranean cave and tunnel megadungeon known as Cremza'amirikza'am.

This session was billed as a little spicy, but still very much a dungeoncrawl... maybe that's why I had seven dudes at the table (the only game where there wasn't at least one woman).

I do have openings written down ahead of time, but am always tempted to create something new in the moment, when inspiration strikes.  For whatever reason, I decided to start this session with the PCs overhearing the discovery of that demon-fabled system of caves in the tavern, just before the lizardman who spilled the beans had his intestines spilled out from a dagger in the gut.

And then a princess-witch was sunbathing on top of the platform in the lost city.  That set the tone.  As usual, a few players didn't know what to make of these odd and mildly sexually charged encounters.  But enough players were ready to roll with the punches, so it's ok if some are hesitant or don't know how to feel about encounters like a redhead with banana-men bodyguards who just inherited a chicken shack and bordello down here in Cremza'amirikza'am.

Soon after, the prospect of combat and treasure seemed to invigorate the players.  Monks, security droids, and a stockpile of loot owned by Pizza the Ha'at (if you've seen Space Balls, then you know who I'm talking about), using Monsieur Froma'aj as an alias on Cha'alt. 

The PCs did well for themselves, taking pretty much all of it - including a circuit board that seemed really valuable for no discernible reason.  Maybe just because Pizza the Ha'at wanted it?

After that, there were crests and troughs of high weirdness and standard sword & sorcery tropes.

One of the funniest parts, for me and I think a few of the players, was the replicant film crew who decided to film the PCs' exploits as a documentary with their camcorder.  So, the second half of the session was expertly documented for posterity.  I wish we, the gamers, could actually see the footage they captured.

The PCs cleared the entire first floor and then a cave or two on level 2.  I had maps of Cremza'amirikza'am (the first three levels) printed and laminated for the event.  Those looked good, and the players appreciated the visual aid.  All combat was theater of the mind, though.

Also, I should mention, for every game, except for Alpha Blue, I used my laminated Crimson Escalation visual-aid tracker for extra crits.  As usual, Crimson Escalation favored the players, which they greatly enjoyed.

I've been running playtests of Cremza'amirikza'am on Roll20 for the last couple months prior to my Kickstarting Cha'alt: Chartreuse Shadows right now - please back it!  But what I came up with only a week ago in terms of puzzles had never been playtested.  

Turns out, what I wrote worked like a charm.  And led the player who successfully pulled a sword out of an effulgent indigo crack in reality to say that in all his life, he's never had a character wield a blade that powerful and awesome.

I won't go into any more detail other than to mention the nudist colony, empress trapped in ice, and Ta'arna on a mission of revenge.  All in all, Cremza'amirikza'am is coming along nicely.  I feel it's a solid mix of eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, and post-apocalypse... along with my trademark humor, sleaze, and pop-cultural references. 

Everyone said they had a good time, and I even got an email after the convention thanking me again for running that session.  I'll copy/paste it below...

Dear Vengar,

Thank you for running Cha’alt for us at GameHole Con, it was a great introduction to you as a person and what you value as a designer.

You’re absolutely right about the masks, issues of speaking volume, and noise. The noise got so bad by the end of the convention I was asking people to pull down their masks to speak (shockingly, nobody had a problem with this).

Things I loved

• Crimson Escalation was a great idea! Some kind of large red d20 that changes between rounds with the number you crit on would have been a good addition.
• I like how you brought up erotic things, but did it as a matter of genre, and kept the narrative moving along.
• You kept the story moving. I think we got more done in your game than any other con game I’ve ever been at.
• Giant Maps! Who doesn't love a giant map?

I don’t have a google account, so I couldn’t post this on your blog, but I thought it would be worth sending you anyway.

Sincerely,

—Colin

That getting more done is a testament to my laser-focus on one-shots over the last 5 years.  When these blog posts are done, I'll be turning my attention to One-Shots Like A Fucking Boss, as well as finishing up the megadungeon for Cha'alt: Chartreuse Shadows.

Thanks to Colin, the Cremza'amirikza'am players, and GameHole Con.  I'll try to get the next blog post out tomorrow.

VS

3-Sentence Opener Contest

 

I'm running a tasty little contest from now until midnight of H.P. Lovecraft's birthday, August 20th.  That gives you seven days!

Ok, how do you play / win?  First, let me dribble unto thee with some unsolicited Game Mastering advice.

You don't need much to start off an RPG session.  In fact, you shouldn't have much at all.  

What you should have is a tight three-sentence opener that 1) grabs the players attention, 2) motivates the characters to get off their asses to do something, and 3) involves some kind of worldbuilding, genre emphasis, and/or foreshadowing of what's about to happen.

No easy task!

In my opinion, every GM worth his essential salts should have a few of these in his back-pocket... just in case the opportunity should arise yet inspiration falls short.

THE RULES

Comment below with one or more of your own openers (feel free to post as many as you want).  They have to be exactly three sentences, and you should be mindful of the above criteria.

Your opener does NOT have to be setting or world specific, so don't feel like you have to make yours fit Cha'alt.  However, I AM partial to the eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, and post-apocalypse...

I'm the only judge (but feel free to comment with your own hot-take), and the contest closes at midnight on August 20th.

THE PRIZES

First Prize will receive both gorgeous Cha'alt and Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise hardcovers [USA residents don't have to pay shipping.  Canadian residents must pay $30; other international residents must pay $45... or they can choose to take the 2nd place prize, instead.]

Second Prize will receive every Cha'alt PDF.

Third Prize will receive any one Kort'thalis Publishing PDF of their choosing.

THE FINE PRINT

I may compile the submitted entries into a FREE PDF sometime down the road.  Your submission grants me the right to include it, but you can also freely use your submission yourself at any point in the future.  Credit will be given if accompanied with the author's name or pseudonym.  

____

Good luck and thanks for playing!

VS

p.s. Yes, I'm still selling the aforementioned luxury hardcovers.  Ordering details can be found here.  If you haven't secured your ticket to next July's VENGER CON, do it now!

Saving Cha'alt

 

The PDF is up on DriveThru.  Click right here and I will take you there, hoss!

What can I say about this release?  It's OSR (but I'd also feel comfortable using 5e).  It took me about 6 months from start to finish.  It contains 7 scenarios, some tips for running Cha'alt, and a 1-page appendix at the end.  Lots of random tables, as well.

It looks great!  Saving Cha'alt follows the same basic layout as Cha'alt and Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise.  I'm hoping to run a KS for the 3rd book in the trilogy around January of 2022.  Until then, grab this PDF.  The vast majority of money received goes into future projects.

I still have hardcovers of the first two books Ordering details here.

If you like my stuff, write a review or just talk about it on social media.  

Enjoy,

VS

Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise Hardcovers

 

Yes, they are now for sale!

What am I talking about?  Part 2 of my eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic O5R (OSR and/or 5e) campaign setting that includes so many random tables, scenarios, seeds, and dungeons with original monsters and magic items that it's literally insane.

This is the original (part 1) Cha'alt.  

And over here is the lurid hued sequel, Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise!

And now that I've got 99% of backer books in the mail, I can start selling them direct to those who missed out on the Kickstarter.  Don't bother asking about the Cha'alt hardcovers, they've sold out!

$60 for one book, $100 for two of them (includes shipping within the USA).  That comes with my signature and some personalization.  If this is going out of the country, then add $30 for shipping for one book and $40 for two (yeah, two is a better deal).

Keep in mind these luxury hardcovers (higher production value than anything Wizards has ever put out) are limited to a print run of 1,000 books.  When they're gone, they're gone!

Simply paypal me at Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

You also get the PDF for free (but I'll need your DTRPG email address for that).  If you already have the PDF, simply request another PDF from Kort'thalis Publishing as a replacement.

Any questions, just email me.  Thanks for your continued support, hoss!

VS

p.s. Want to read some reviews?  Here and there.  Plus this one.  More coming soon!

Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise Hardcovers Arrived

 

An effulgent shard amidst the darkness...

Yes!  At long last, two pallets of gorgeous hardcovers arrived but an hour ago.

Looking them over, it's exactly what I wanted - a perfect compliment to Cha'alt.  The font is slightly larger, so for those with battle-weary eyes - you're welcome!

I'm putting up some pics that'll give you an idea.

And there's one thousand of them!  The first couple hundred go out to backers, the rest I'll sell out of my "Frazetta nymphs with Death Star looming in the background" van down by the river.  But that won't happen until I get books out to my wonderful backers.  

If you want one, but didn't back the Kickstarter, check back around Xmas for ordering details.

For those who don't know, Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise is the follow-up to Cha'alt.  It's an eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalypse campaign setting - chockfull of everything you'll need for running adventures of neo-quasi-O5R and vintage demon laser sleaze.  You're welcome again!!!

Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise took about a year from original idea and primordial playtesting to this point.  

Thanks to everyone who supported me and pitched-in to make this awesome tome.  ;)  

Check out the PDF!  It's on sale (50% off) until Thanksgiving.

Let's game!

VS

p.s. I'm down to only 4 Cha'alt hardcovers.  Want one?

Fuchsia Lives Matter

Want to know who's actually oppressed and faces systemic racism in 2020? 

Look no further than the citizens of Cha'alt.  Yes, real slavery and genocide while their planet's zoth is stolen.

Off-worlders think nothing of shooting a sky-elf in the face.  It's legal, so why not?  The desert is silent, but you don't have to be.

Do your part by posting a fuchsia square on your social media with the hashtag #FuchsiaLivesMatter

We need change now!  Do some good for the people of Cha'alt... even if their skin color is fuchsia.  Their lives matter just as much as citizens of the Federation.

Thank you,

VS

p.s. Download the just released Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise PDF.  Eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalypse campaign setting for any D&D like system.

Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise

Yesssss!  It's out.  GET IT HERE.

This isn't the tippy-top final version, mind you.  But it's farther along than a beta.  The bookmarks, hyperlinks, and index is coming soon.  Also, I'll be spotting and fixing typos over the next couple weeks.

What's in it?  So much, dude.  So much.  225 pages of the awesomeness you've gotten to know from Cha'alt.  Some of that page count is previously released PDFs, such as OSR Like A Fucking Boss.  That'll be in the fancy hardcover edition coming out this fall, so I wanted to include it in the PDF, as well.  Everything in one place for convenience. 

It took me almost a year to create Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise.  It's jam-packed with gameable content.  Some stuff you're probably expecting... the rest out of left-field.

I'm hoping to get some promotional boost from DriveThru, that's why it's ridiculously priced at $5.  If you'd like to help out, blog about it, mention it on social media, or maybe write a review. 

Thanks,

VS

June: a Month of Cha'alt

Want a chance to win Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise before you can buy it?

This $20 PDF will be so spectacularly awesome it'll literally melt your reality... and quite possibly your face!?!  Keep reading!

Run the eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic campaign setting Cha'alt (on sale now) as many times as possible during the month of June (OSR, 5e, or bit of both).  Record the results in some fashion - play reports, videos, series of tweets, end of campaign journal entry, whatever.

If, after a month of Cha'alt, you and/or your gaming aren't forever changed (and especially if you are), I'll send you a free PDF of my upcoming extravaganza Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise!  It's in layout now, and should be available by July 1st.

So, that's it.  Run Cha'alt in June, write about it, and then let me know where I can send your FREE Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise PDF on July 1st.

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. I still have 150 luxurious hardcover Cha'alt books for sale.  Details here!

Oblivium Review

You had me at Twelve Demon Satchel...

Inspired by such old school gems as Carcosa, Yoon-Suin, and my own Islands of Purple-Haunted Putrescence, Oblivium is a campaign setting on a weird island that's meant to fuck shit up while taking no prisoners.

The author, Thomas Alexander, has created a world of insanely specific detail.  The book is 135 pages and it feels dense.  There are plenty of black and white illustrations, but I think this could have been 200 pages if laid out differently.  Personally, I like a lot of paragraph breaks, but that's a minor criticism.

Oblivium is like a gonzo inter-dimensional Ravenloft, its mist transporting individuals to a strange world where the kitchen sink is your sandbox.  Oblivium absorbs anything and everything, that's why you get magic, technology, bizarre new races (the hollow being one of my favorites), exotic locations, creatures, random tables, and new magic items.

Basically, this is like Purple Islands if Prince of Nothing flamboyantly re-wrote it with Endzeitgeist's eye for mechanical coherence. In other words, something special, but not exactly what I, myself, would create.

Below, I'm going to give you an example of the writing...

For eons, purple rain has fallen on the petrified corpse of Lalene, Demon Prince of Lava. What was once a cone of volcanic rock has been eroded into a haunted city. Tortuous streets wind between edifices of cruel opulence. 

So, yeah... download this!  Use it with your other OSR, 5e, or whatever you already have, mine it for awesome ideas, combine it with similar campaign settings, or just all on its own.

VS

p.s. Speaking of gonzo science-fantasy, I'm down to about 150 luxurious hardcover Cha'alt books.  If you want to snag one or more before they're gone, check this out!

Stimulus Check Cha'alt

Testimonial...

Hi Venger,

Just wanted to let you know I got the print copy. You probably have heard this a lot, but just to add my own pebble to the mountain: I'm blown away. Cha'alt annihilates any major mainstream games company in terms of production values. It's up there with a lot of the art books in my library here at home. Even at a casual glance, it's amazing. It's worth every penny I spent on it, and I can't wait for the print of Fuschia Malaise and the third book in the trilogy.

Chris Cotgrove

Not sure what to spend your stimulus check on?  Well, let me help you with that...

You definitely want to get something that's going to appreciate in value.  And it's got to be fun to have right now, mid-pandemic.  As well as something that's going to make the communist China government super mad.

Yep, you guessed it... a luxurious Cha'alt hardcover of your very own!  Less than 35 remaining, signed and numbered.  Eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic campaign setting + megadungeon for old school and 5e D&D.

$60 for one book or $100 for two (inside the USA, shipping included).  Overseas, it's going to be $85 for one book and $120 for two books.  Paypal me at Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

You'll get the PDF for free.  Already have the Cha'alt PDF?  Pick out a different one!

I'll even scribble something demonic and Lovecraftian on the inside cover.  Can't beat that.

VS

p.s.  Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise is out now!  Here's the PDF.

p.p.s. The 3rd installment of Vorpal Mace Cha'alt review has arrived!  TL:DR: Cha'alt is the Twin Peaks of gonzo science fantasy adventures.

Onward

I, like many of you, have watched the animated, children's fantasy movie Onward.

We got a deal on Disney+, and with the pandemic in full swing, it's been pretty awesome.

Overall, the movie is good.  Some cool nods to D&D (gelatinous cubes, cunning rogues, etc.) and fantasy tropes in general.  But the thing I want to point out in this blog post is the backstory/setup.

In the world of Onward, it starts out as a typical fantasy realm with demons, wizards, and centaurs that's introduced to science and technology.  Eventually, the high-tech erodes its sword and sorcery past.

That's actually the basic history of Cha'alt.  The only difference is that the Great Old Ones awake to punish the world for disregarding them, ushering in the apocalypse which sets the world of Cha'alt in motion.

In Onward, as in Cha'alt, the main characters meander back to the old ways.  That's what the audience wants because we live in a science and technology world.  Why wouldn't we want to escape into a realm of epic quests, phoenix gems, and dragons?

For those unfamiliar, here's my Cha'alt elevator pitch: eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic campaign setting and megadungeon compatible with old school and 5e D&D.

I've still got about 200 hardcover Cha'alt books remaining.  They're absolutely gorgeous, signed and numbered.  From now until Easter, I'm running a sale...

If you want yours, paypal me $50 if you live inside the USA.  Otherwise, it's $75.  Shipping included for both prices.  My paypal address is: Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

Plus, I'll draw a little Lovecraftian doodle on the inside cover.

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. If you buy the hardcover, you get the PDF for free!  If you already have the Cha'alt PDF, you'll get an alternative PDF in its place.

Gaming at a Distance

After my rather bleak post the other day, I thought today I'd suggest something for virtual roleplaying.

Obviously, gaming online is going to be easier than face-to-face, what with the Coronavirus pandemic.  And it just so happens that I created the perfect rules-light, minimalist D&D hack.  The latest version of Crimson Dragon Slayer D20 Revised was uploaded a few weeks ago.

It's both old school and 5e compatible, plug and play arcade-mode for those quick and dirty pick-up games on Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, Discord, or wherever you guys are playing these days.

Send your players a link ahead of the game and they can read it all in less than 15 minutes, and make a PC in under 5.  It's absolutely FREE, so why not grab it, use it, share it?

Enjoy,

VS

p.s.  I'm currently taking order reservations for luxurious Cha'alt hardcovers.  Wisconsin has been officially locked down (non-essential travel verboten).  But when the self-quarantine is lifted, I'll send them all out.  $60 for USA residents and $85 for non-USA residents (shipping included in those prices).  I accept paypal at Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

Gonzo Flavored Ice Cream

A friend came to me with a question the other day, "How would you adjust using [generic fantasy adventure or campaign] with Cha'alt?

My advice was thus...

If you're interested in mixing vanilla fantasy with Cha'alt, I'd suggest separating the two.  There's the "normal" D&D world, and then there's Cha'alt.  Just like Alice tumbling into Wonderland, Dorothy being swept into Oz, or Neo leaving the matrix.  There needs to be a dividing line.

Mixing the two would be like mixing vanilla ice cream with raspberry, pineapple, and lime sorbet with a banana split and double-chocolate mint rocky road.  The vanilla would get utterly lost in the wild flavor extravaganza.  Mix any generic fantasy setting with Cha'alt and you get Cha'alt.  It dominates, and rightfully so... my eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic campaign setting and megadungeon kicks fucking ass!

Ok, so what about introducing the PCs to Cha'alt?

Instead of Ravenloft mists, I'd suggest fuchsia and chartreuse slime.  It creeps up on the adventurers, rises up over their heads, and then SPLASHDOWN on the hapless PCs!  Consumed but not devoured, they're transported to the weird world of Cha'alt.

FYI, I've got less than 250 hardcover books in stock.  They're going fast!  These signed, limited edition, luxurious books are going for $60 (USA shipping included) or $85 outside the USA.  I take paypal.  My email address is: Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

Thanks,

VS

The Cha'alt Challenge

I laughed quite a few times when listening to the 3T RPG Podcast.

This episode... they review Cha'alt!  Loved it, and they loved Cha'alt.  I thought it was funny, awesome, and interesting... what are your thought, and what is this challenge?

See for yourself.  Make up your own mind.  Is Cha'alt the best D&D campaign setting and megadungeon ever made?  Can you play it without falling in love and/or die laughing?  Challenge yourself!

FYI, I've got about 250 hardcover Cha'alt books left.  If you want yours before these gorgeous, signed, limited edition books are all gone, then send $60 via paypal to Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

If you live within the USA, no further postage is necessary.  If you live overseas, that's going to be an extra $25, I'm afraid.

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. If you buy the hardcover, you get the PDF for free!

Leap Day Cha'alt Sale!!!

Every 4 years, right?  Lots of sales going on, so here's mine...

Get the premium, luxury hardcover book of Cha'alt for $40 (shipping inside the USA included, otherwise, it's an extra $30).  Normally, Cha'alt retails for $60.

Not familiar with this eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic campaign setting + megadungeon?  Here's a text review and this is a video review.

Each book is signed and numbered (limited to 2,000 and I'm almost out - no reprints!)... plus, since it's leap day and all, I'll "ultra-personalize" it with an amateur drawing of some tentacled monstrosity.

This offer is only good until midnight tonight, so don't delay!

You can paypal me the money using my email address: Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. Of course, if you order the hardcover, you'll get the PDF for FREE

Low Stock Alert - Cha'alt

All the recent reviews, such as this one and that one, Pundit's one... plus Oh Yeah! and Nic Cage helped sell a lot of hardcover copies of Cha'alt.

Local RPG stores have started carrying Cha'alt, as well, which is fantastic!

Additionally, the PDF just went ELECTRUM (!!!) the other day on DriveThruRPG.

However, the best news ever is that an eccentric (sorry, hoss, but you're only a short step from crazy) gaming collector just bought up 500 copies of Cha'alt so he can sit on them for 10 years and sell them for double the retail price on ebay, as I have no plans for a 2nd printing of Cha'alt (too many new projects I want to pursue).  Dirty pool?  Maybe, but I'm a proud capitalist, so whatever.

After squirreling away the books I owe Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise kickstarter folks, that means I have precisely 297 luxury hardcover Cha'alt volumes left to sell.  Low stock alert, indeed!

You can send me $ via paypal at Venger.Satanis@yahoo.com

It's $60 per book (shipping included if you live within the USA).  Otherwise, the shipping is $30 per book.  Sorry, no discounts on multiple copies...

Also, if you buy the hardcover, you get the PDF for FREE!!!  If you already purchased the PDF, then you get a $10 discount on the hardcover.

Big thanks to everyone who's supported me and Cha'alt and all my Great Work.  Love you, folks!

VS

p.s. If you're looking for a minimalist O5R (OSR + 5e) rule-set for D&D noobs and novices, then look no further than Crimson Dragon Slayer.