Take on the pirate fleets in this campaign for Stargrave, featuring full rules for playing the game solo or cooperatively. Since the end of the Last War, the great pirate fleets have roamed the ruins of the galaxy, pillaging, extorting, and enslaving. No one has had the power to stand against them, and the desperate few who have tried, have been quickly and brutally crushed. However, when the independent crews are hired for a simple hostage rescue, it leads to a dangerous opportunity to strike a blow against tyranny. Two of the largest and most vicious pirate fleets are meeting for a parlay near the ruins of an ancient research station... one that once experimented with 'supernova-level events'. If the crews can locate the station, slip past the pirates, and infiltrate the facility, it might be possible to release such an event just as the fleets have gathered... Hope Eternal is a solo and cooperative expansion for Stargrave. Along with full rules for playing the game in this new style, the book contains an intricate campaign of connected scenarios. Whether you brave the perils of the campaign alone, or enlist the aid of another independent crew, this is your chance to bring back a little hope to the ravaged galaxy!

Eternal Night of Lockwood is an adventure book, filled with intrigue, mystery, and horror, Powered by Zweihander RPG. RAGE AGAINST THE DYING OF THE LIGHT Five days ago, a starless and moonless night fell over the Lockwood forest and pioneer town of Ertol. The sawmills have gone quiet, and the lumberjacks have begun to revolt. The Eternal Night has come, and all of Ertol is in the grips of panic and fear. But where there's darkness, there's opportunity. As citizens of Ertol, you'll find yourselves drawn into a pitch-black web of urban conspiracy and rural horror, spanning the gloom of the six boroughs and into the ancient Lockwood. Will you rise to the occasion as a light in the darkness, or will you succumb to the Eternal Night? This ZWEIHAENDER RPG book is a campaign-length adventure, taking characters from Basic to Advanced Tier. Its adventure can also be broken up into ten individual quests to suit your gaming group's needs. Intended to be used by both players and gamemasters, this book provides a host of new character options, expanded bestiary, and customizable adventure difficulty settings to accommodate higher Tier adventures.

Many of today's hottest selling games--both non-electronic and electronic--focus on such elements as shooting up as many bad guys as one can (Duke Nuk'em), beating the toughest level (Mortal Kombat), collecting all the cards (Pokemon), and scoring the most points (Tetris). Fantasy role-playing games (Dungeons & Dragons, Rolemaster, GURPS), while they may involve some of those aforementioned elements, rarely focus on them. Instead, playing a fantasy role-playing game is much like acting out a scene from a play, movie or book, only without a predefined script. Players take on such roles as wise wizards, noble knights, roguish sellswords, crafty hobbits, greedy dwarves, and anything else one can imagine and the referee allows. The players don't exactly compete; instead, they interact with each other and with the fantasy setting. The game is played orally with no game board, and although the referee usually has a storyline planned for a game, much of the action is impromptu. Performance is a major part of role-playing, and role-playing games as a performing art is the subject of this book, which attempts to introduce an appreciation for the performance aesthetics of such games. The author provides the framework for a critical model useful in understanding the art--especially in terms of aesthetics--of role-playing games. The book also serves as a contribution to the beginnings of a body of criticism, theory, and aesthetics analysis of a mostly unrecognized and newly developing art form. There are four parts: the cultural structure, the extent to which the game relates to outside cultural elements; the formal structure, or the rules of the game; the social structure, which encompasses the degree and quality of social interaction among players; and the aesthetic structure, concerned with the emergence of role-playing as an art form.

Wizards tend to be secretive and solitary, rarely sharing their knowledge, and associating with only a select few apprentices, followers, and henchmen. It is rare that they spend time in the company of other spellcasters, and rarer still that they work together. Now, however, something is about to take place that has not occurred since the great days of Felstad – a gathering of wizards.

In this new supplement for Frostgrave, some of the biggest names in gaming turn their creative powers towards the Frozen City, each contributing a scenario and adding their own flair to the game. Featuring scenarios by Alessio Cavatore, Alex Buchel, Andy Chambers, Gav Thorpe, Chris Pramas, Daniel Mersey, Andrea Sfiligoi, and many more, this tome provides a collection of adventures that will pit players against unimaginable foes and challenges, pushing their wizards and warbands to new limits.

With Duel in the Sun, players can take command of the doughty Desert Rats of Montgomery's 8th Army, the fast-moving and hard-hitting raiders of the Long Range Desert Army (LRDG), or Rommel's mighty Afrika Korps, to recreate some of the most iconic battles of World War II - Operations Compass, Crusader and Torch, Tobruk, and Alamein, amongst others. Offering scenarios, special rules and new troop types, this Theatre Book for Bolt Action also takes players across the Mediterranean from North Africa, where they can follow the Italian Campaign from the invasion of Sicily, through the battles for Anzio and Cassino, to the final assaults on the Gothic Line.

Part magical university, part museum, part tourist attraction, the great Collegium of Artistry had flourished in Felstad's final days. Under the leadership of the seemingly immortal Malcor the Mad, the vast complex expanded, with new wings being built wherever they would fit, including up and down the rock face, and even buried within the mountain itself. Visitors called it one of the architectural wonders of the world; the students, who often got lost in its endless tunnels, simply called it 'The Maze'.

With a titanic crash, an immense ice shelf tears free from the mountains that that loom above Frostgrave, revealing the lost Collegium, and the race for its secrets begins. The Maze is known to have contained many rare and unique treasures, and who knows what may have survived...

This new, expanded supplement for Frostgrave contains a host of new adventures, treasures, and creatures to challenge players. It also includes its own, unique campaign and experience system, as well as information about several of the mythical lost schools of magic.

A supplement for Jackals, introducing new rites, talents, and virtues for players as well as an exploration of the history and cultures of the Zaharets. Jackals: Travellers on the War Road is a supplement exploring the regions of the Zaharets and the cultures established in Jackals. It expands the lore for each of the four cultures introduced in the core book - Luathi, Gerwa, Melkoni, and Trauj - describing their various tribes, clans, and city-states, their beliefs, strongholds, and day-to-day lives, adding more nuance and depth to the world and giving players more ways to personalize their characters. New rites, virtues, and talents provide further customization options, while adventure hooks scattered throughout the book hint at new menaces to be battled, new challenges to be overcome... and new glories to be won!

Rise of the Dungeon Master tells, in graphic form, the story of Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, one of the most influential games ever made. Like the game itself, the narrative casts the reader into the adventure from a first person point of view, taking on the roles of the different characters in the story. Gygax was the son of immigrants who grew up in Lake Geneva, WI, in the 1950s. An imaginative misfit, he escaped into a virtual world based on science fiction novels, military history and strategic games like chess. In the mid-1970s, he co-created the wildly popular Dungeons & Dragons game, determining the rules and inventing the signature 20-sided dice. Starting out in the basement of his home, he was soon struggling to keep up with the demand. Gygax was a purist, in the sense that he was adamant that players use their imaginations and that the rules of the game remain flexible. A creative mind with no real knowledge of business, he made some strategic errors and had a falling out with the game's co-creator, his close friend and partner, David Arneson. By the late 1970s the game had become so popular among kids that parents started to worry -- so much so that a mom's group was formed to alert parents to the dangers of role play and fantasy. The backlash only fueled the fires of the young fans who continued to play the game, escaping into imaginary worlds. Before long, D&D conventions were set up around the country and the game inspired everything from movies to the first video games. With D&D, Gygax created the kind of role playing fantasy that would fuel the multibillion dollar video game industry, and become a foundation of contemporary geek culture.

FLAMES OF FREEDOM is an American Gothic horror tabletop role-playing game, Powered by ZWEIHAENDER RPG. It is the dawn of the American Revolutionary War of 1776. A tangled web of conspiracy spans North America. It does not matter what your creed, color, culture, faith or gender is-all stand together in the war for survival. Every Rebel patriot holds Thomas Paine's Common Sense aloft as they take up arms against the British Empire. The city of Boston is occupied by the Red Coats, surrounded by Rebel militias. But as the revolution has begun, something far more mysterious stirs. Agents of the occult entreat both the Continental Army and British Empire. Freemasons conspire in the City of Brotherly Love. Maryland is in the throes of a witch hunt by the Knights Templar. Amid the chaos, other grim fairy tales have emerged. Ghouls have been tunneling beneath Boston. There are sightings of witches in the Great Dismal Swamp. Indigenous sachem speak of devils who walk among the living. The Leeds Devil haunts the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. And worse still, a shadowy collective called "The Mandoag" seeks to consume all, Loyalists and Rebels alike. In this game, most people have either chosen to deny the supernatural or rationalize it away. A rare few accept it for what it is to act. You are among those heroes and destined for greatness... or death. This alternative history game includes most of what you need to play: a player's handbook, a game master's guide, a bestiary, and an introductory adventure set in Boston. All that's left are a few friends, pencils, and a handful of dice.

As the Soviet Red Army marches westward, the city of Budapest stands in their way. Encircled and severely outnumbered, the German and Hungarian forces attempt to resist the Soviet juggernaut and defend Festung Budapest to the last. This book brings the siege of Budapest to the table-top with in-depth information on the forces involved, linked scenarios, and new Theatre Selectors that make this an ideal resource for any Bolt Action player with an interest in the the Eastern Front and the fall of the Reich.

En Garde! is a small-scale skirmish game based on the successful Ronin rules, in which small groups of warriors fight each other for honour or riches. Rather than just rolling a few dice, the rules allow players to make tactical decisions about how the models that they control will fight - offensively, defensively, or by applying special skills and abilities. En Garde! covers the conflicts of the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries, when black-powder weapons started to become common in battle but martial prowess still determined the outcome. Play as Border Reivers, Conquistadors, Landsknechts, Aztecs, French Musketeers, Caribbean Pirates and many more, in scenarios that evoke classic engagements of the genre. Simple campaign rules allow multiple scenarios to be played in sequence and permit warbands to develop over time. An appendix is also included to provide brief rules for supernatural creatures of the period - monsters, demons, revenants and witches - and new abilities and equipment to fight them, making En Garde! the perfect ruleset for gamers who want something a bit different from the norm.

In 1939, Germany shattered the peace of Europe with a lightning-fast strike against Poland. The next year, it captured Denmark and Norway, before launching its famous Blitzkrieg against France, Belgium and The Netherlands. In less than two years of fighting, Nazi Germany became the master of mainland Europe. This new Theatre Book for Bolt Action allows players to command armies of German tanks driving across the continent or to lead the desperate defense of the outgunned Allied armies. New scenarios, special rules and units give players everything they need to recreate the devastating battles and campaigns of the early war in Europe, including the fall of Poland, the breaking of the Maginot Line and the dramatic retreat to Dunkirk.

Taking one of the most pivotal and famous episodes in British history, this book gives a wargamer's perspective of the dramatic events of 1066 and the Norman conquest that followed and advice on how to recreate these on the gaming table. Advice is given on factors to consider when choosing an appropriate set of commercially available rules, or devising your own, to best suit the scale and style of battle you want and capture the flavour of the period. Relevant ranges of figures, along with painting advice, are also included. Analysis of the forces involved, organization, tactics and strategies will help with building your armies and period specific scenarios are included. Whether this is a new period for you, or you are looking to refresh your existing interest in the period, this handy guide is sure to hold much of interest.

Something in the multiverse has shattered, and now the universe is bleeding. Throughout Mega-City One there are reports of invaders wreaking havoc. Celtic barbarians in Ezquerra Block. Russian nobles in Apetown. And rumours of fragments of other universes, waiting to be claimed. Head to the streets of Mega-City One with Judge Dredd: Helter Skelter, a new miniatures board game combining Martin Wallace's critically-acclaimed Wildlands rules with the worlds of 2000 AD. Four unique factions bring iconic characters from Slaine, Nikolai Dante, and Strontium Dog crashing into Mega-City One, all intent on finding the shattered fragments of their own universe and crushing anyone who gets in their way. Things are going to get rough, but one thing is certain. No matter what universe you are from, you still have to answer to the Law! Players: 2-4 Ages: 14+ Playing Time: 30-60 minutes Contents: 20 unique ink-washed miniatures, 188 cards, double-sided playing board, counters and tokens

Last Days: Zombie Apocalypse: Seasons brings an all new campaign to the skirmish-scale miniatures game of survival horror, taking players through the changing seasons and the challenges this brings for survivors. As well as rival gangs and mindless zombies, your Group will have to deal with hunger, thirst, warmth, and other problems that can't be stopped with a well-placed bullet. Also included are a host of new character types, scavenge tables, scenarios, and even rules for using bicycles and motorbikes with your group.

"Tank War," the new supplement for Bolt Action, gives players the option to expand their games to a whole new level - armored warfare. Recreate such great engagements as the battle of Kursk with the scenarios, army options and special rules found in this book. Whether you want to add more armour to your existing armies or build an entirely armoured force, Tank War has you covered.

The genius and artistry behind Superbrothers and the making of an indie video game, from inception to its highly anticipated launch. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery was released in 2011 at the forefront of an exciting era of "indie games" - with the aesthetic of punk rock and the edge of modernist fiction, indie games pushed gaming into the realm of the avant-garde. Superbrothers (Craig D. Adams) was hailed as a visionary in the video game world. Now, his long-awaited follow-up, JETT: The Far Shore, has been released for Sony PlayStation and Epic Games Store. In the decade from inception to launch, Adams brought author Adam Hammond along for the ride, allowing unprecedented insight into the complicated genesis of Jett. The Far Shore offers a portrait of the enigmatic Adams and his team, the genius and artistry, the successes and setbacks, that went into building the world of JETT, in which you're tasked with scouting a new home for a humanoid people after they've decimated their planet. To provide context, Hammond recounts the history of indie games and how their trajectory has followed that of independent art and literature. A riveting insider's look at one of our most popular art forms.

Computer role-playing games (CRPGs) are a special genre of computer games that bring the tabletop role-playing experience of games such as Dungeons & Dragons to the computer screen. Thisnew edition inlcudes two new chapters: The Modern Age, and a chapter on Indies and Mobile CRPGs. The new modern age chapter will cover, among other topics, Kickstarter/FIG crowdfunded projects such as Torment: Tides of Numenera and Pillars of Eternity. It'll also bring the book up to date with major games such as Dragon Age, Witcher, Skyrim. Expanded info in first chapter about educational potential of CRPGs. Color figures will be introduced for the first time. Key Features gives reviews of hundreds of games across many platforms. comprehensive book covering the history of computer RPGs. comprehensive index at the back, letting you quickly look up your favourite titles

The Dark House lies abandoned. Who knows what horrors lie within? Once the home of one of the Empire's grandest family, the Dark House lies as an epitaph to their fall. As you fight your way across the two-storied Mansion map, you will find remnants of their wicked ways. Out back, struggle through the Hedge Maze map, sinister and long overgrown with vicious thorns. Down below, in the Crypt map, encounter the deadly curse that once cast a noble line into oblivion. This board expansion for Wildlands gives players three new maps, two of which are specifically designed for two players. Each map features new rules, new challenges, and new opportunities. Requires a copy of Wildlands to play. Number of players: 2-4 Ages: 14+ Playing time: 30-60 minutes Components: 2 boards, rule sheet

Outremer: Faith and Blood is a 28mm skirmish wargame featuring small groups of warriors fighting in Outremer during the Crusades. While suitable for one-off skirmish encounters the focus of the game is a structured and progressive campaign setting in which they are able to watch their force grow and develop over a series of scenarios and encounters from a small party of five or so soldiers into a powerful warband a score strong. Character development is key, and a wide range of troop options and factions allows a high degree of individuality and personalisation. Players will also be able to recruit mercenaries and agents such as Hashashin and Varangian survivors to bolster their forces - potent but expensive additions that will add a distinct flavour to each encounter.

If you're a Dungeons & Dragons fan, you've surely thought of becoming a Dungeon Master. Learning to be a DM isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you have "Dungeon Master 4th Edition For Dummies" tucked into your bag of tricks

From organizing your first D&D game to dealing with difficult players, this book covers everything a DM needs to know. Written for the newest edition of D&D by the experts at Wizards of the Coast, creators of the game, it shows you how to: Build challenging encounters, make reasonable rulings, and manage disagreementsRecognize all the common codes, tables, and spellsUnderstand the parts of a D&D adventure and how to create dungeon maps and craft monstersShape storylines and write your own adventuresFind your style as a DM and develop a game style that plays to your strengthsScript an encounter, vary the terrain and challenges, and establish rewards (experience points and treasure)Decide whether to use published adventuresUse and follow the official "Dungeon Master's Guide"Develop a campaign with exciting themes, memorable villains, and plots that keep players entranced

If you're getting the urge to lead the charge in a D&D game of your own, "Dungeon Master 4th Edition For Dummies" will introduce you to the DM's many jobs. With the information you need to start your own game, craft exciting stories, and set up epic adventures, you'll be on your way

Computer role-playing games (CRPGs) are a special genre of computer games that bring the tabletop role-playing experience of games such as Dungeons & Dragons to the computer screen. Thisnew edition inlcudes two new chapters: The Modern Age, and a chapter on Indies and Mobile CRPGs. The new modern age chapter will cover, among other topics, Kickstarter/FIG crowdfunded projects such as Torment: Tides of Numenera and Pillars of Eternity. It'll also bring the book up to date with major games such as Dragon Age, Witcher, Skyrim. Expanded info in first chapter about educational potential of CRPGs. Color figures will be introduced for the first time. Key Features gives reviews of hundreds of games across many platforms. comprehensive book covering the history of computer RPGs. comprehensive index at the back, letting you quickly look up your favourite titles

Trapped in the Dark When the heroes seek an expert to translate an ancient, eldritch tablet, a sinister cult strikes from out of the shadows, intent on destroying the relic and all who know of its existence. After facing off against these zealots and deciphering the tablet, the heroes learn of another deep-sun locale called Ezorod-and the evil elder entity that has focused its attention there. The heroes quickly discover that the tablet is both a map and a key to Ezorod, allowing them to enter and explore this weird and lightless oubliette. There they will encounter ghastly creatures and uncover sophisticated technology that could advance sun-diving by light-years. But even if the PCs manage to escape the deadly solar dungeon, they'll be forced to wonder about the malevolent being they have unleashed upon the galaxy-even as they receive a mysterious message heralding a future confrontation! This volume of Starfinder Adventure Path continues the Dawn of Flame Adventure Path and includes: * "The Blind City," a Starfinder adventure for 7th-level characters, by Ron Lundeen. * A peek into several cults of the galaxy, along with a cult hunter character theme, by Lyz Liddell. * A catalog of strange gear from across known space, including bizarre artifacts, by Leo Glass. * An archive of fiery threats-some of which burn both the body and the soul-from cruel dimensional shamblers to the mischievous magmins, by David Gregoire, Violet Hargrave, and Ron Lundeen. * Deck plans and statistics for an efreeti warship and a survey of a world in the Vast that shines its own light into the void, both by Ron Lundeen.

This handbook collects, for the first time, the state of research on role-playing games (RPGs) across disciplines, cultures, and media in a single, accessible volume. Collaboratively authored by more than 50 key scholars, it traces the history of RPGs, from wargaming precursors to tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons to the rise of live action role-play and contemporary computer RPG and massively multiplayer online RPG franchises, like Fallout and World of Warcraft. Individual chapters survey the perspectives, concepts, and findings on RPGs from key disciplines, like performance studies, sociology, psychology, education, economics, game design, literary studies, and more. Other chapters integrate insights from RPG studies around broadly significant topics, like transmedia worldbuilding, immersion, transgressive play, or player-character relations. Each chapter includes definitions of key terms and recommended readings to help fans, students, and scholars new to RPG studies find their way into this new interdisciplinary field.