The GROGNARD Files

The last GROGPOD of 2020 features a classic British Old School RPG, Dragon Warriors.

You can find out more about Dave Morris at his blog and his Patreon.

Daily Dwarf has a blog too.

Dave Paterson is about to launch a new podcast Frankenstein’s RPG and he’s a regular on Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes.

Dragon Warriors is available at Drive Thru RPG (print on demand) as is Casket of Fays. There is a collection of information at The Cobwebbed Forest.

If you like what we do, then please like, subscribe, tell someone else or support us on Patreon.

The post Episode 44 – Dragon Warriors (with Dave Morris) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This is a bonus episode featuring a ‘Library Use’ segment that we recorded which looks in detail at issue 52 of Dragon Magazine (published in August 1981). The publication was around the same time as the launch of the Moldvay edition of Basic D&D. We discuss an article where the new edition is discussed in comparison with the Holmes edition. We also review some of the other content in this feature rich issue.

The bonus edition is dedicated to our Patreons who made it possible.

We also mention: Guy Milner’s Blog Burn After Running, and Roll to Save

The post Episode 43 (Bonus) Dungeons and Dragons first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This is the second part of the Dungeons and Dragons Episode. Lew Pulsipher returns to talk more about his contributions to White Dwarf, his strategy game Britannia and his contributions to EN World.

Daily Dwarf revisits Holmes Basic D&D and tries to revive the magic.

Cris Watkins from Bonhomie Games shares his First, Last and Everything.

Blythy and Dirk have a ‘cover off’ looking at some of the art that defined Dungeons and Dragons.

Covers under discussion: Errol Otis , Larry Elmore , Dungeon Master’s Guide David C Sutherland, and Jeff Easley, Monster Manual David C Sutherland, and the Fiend Folio is wrongly attributed to Russ Nicolson, it was actually painted by Emanuel, sorry about that.

Support the podcast by joining the Patreon.

The post Episode 43 (Part 2) Dungeons and Dragons (with Lew Pulsipher) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

GROGMEET2020, the fifth annual meet-up of the GROGSQUAD, had to be held online to avoid pathogens. It didn’t stop us having a fantastic weekend which included a Pub Quiz, a Mausritter Tournament Dungeon, and an eclectic mix of games over four time-slots: seventy sessions in total.

To end the event we recorded this live panel in the Zoom of Role-Playing rambling (with an audience of over 50 people!).

Dirk the Dice is joined by Paul (The Good Friends of Jackson Elias) and Gaz (What Would the Smart Party Do?) to answer a series of medium-fire questions from the thunder pot.

This episode mentions Paul’s Full Fathom Five scenario and The Smart Party’s You Tube Channel and much, much more!

The post Extra – Thunder Phase! at GROGMEETish2020 (with Paul & Gaz) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

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We knew we’d get there eventually.

This episode is dedicated to Basic Dungeons and Dragons.

Our guest is Lew Pulsipher who was a regular contributor to the Golden Era of White Dwarf. He talks about his formative years in role-playing. He is still contributing to EN World and has a Video channel all about Games Design.

Blythy and I talk about finding players and how he fell in love with the game back in the day and his joy in rediscovering it now.

Ralph Lovegrove from Fictoplasm offers his first last and everything. I appeared on his podcast talking about Hawkmoon.

You can sign up for GROGMEETish2020 at Warhorn. Support us on Patreon.

The post Episode 43 (Part 1) Dungeons & Dragons (with Lew Pulsipher) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

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Welcome to the end of the world! In the latest episode we look at the FGU RPG Aftermath!, a game that is still supported by useful online resources.

I ran a one-shot for GrimCon but working out the rules was a challenge.

Thankfully Doc Cowie is on hand to help me through the twists and turns.

Also mentioned is Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice.

There’s a First, Last and Everything from Doc RPG Griff

Ed and Blythy watch Threads in the GROGGLEBOX.

Support The GROGNARD files on Patreon.

The post Episode 42 – Aftermath! RPG (with Doc Cowie) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

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Blimey, we’ve been doing this bobbins for five years! Good grief! In this episode, we go back to the beginning to look at RuneQuest with Jason Durall, as well as other highlights from his career in role-playing.

Blythy and I face the randomly selected Thunder Phase suggested by Patreons.

First, last and everything is presented by Bud RPG Reviews.

I make a reference to Full Fathom Five, a Call of Cthulhu game that’s currently on Drive Thru Rpg via the Miskatonic Repository.

Here’s to another 5 years!

The post Episode 41 – Five Years of The GROGNARD Files (with Jason Durall) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

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Know o prince … the GROGNARD files produces another epic (take your time …). We’ve been playing Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed of, by Modiphius and having great fun emulating the Hyborian world of Robert E Howard.

Jason Durall is an enthusiastic player as well as designer and he gives a great interview talking of his formative years in the hobby and how he approached the Conan project.

We take a look at the rules that seem to provoke a love-hate relationship in players. Are they really as crunchy as they appear?

Finally, Eddy joins us as we discuss Conan The Barbarian (1982). If you can persevere the pops and crackles of Zoom compression, you’ll hear a significant difference of opinion.

Newsletters, one-shots, an incoming ‘zine, why not join The Patreon?

The post Episode 40 – Conan RPG (with Jason Durall) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

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Loz Whitaker from The Design Mechanism returns to face The GamesMaster’s screen. He talks about The Eternal Champion, Strontium Dog and Mythras.

We have been enjoying a Hawkmoon series of adventures using Mythras using elements of Chaosium’s Hawkmoon and the Mongoose version.

Doc ‘Con’ Cowie shares his First, Last and Everything.

In a new section, we look at vintage magazines Different Worlds and Adventurer.

Support the podcast at Patreon.

The post Episode 39 – Hawkmoon RPG (with Lawrence Whitaker) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

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Welcome to a new GROGPOD about a new game that we are very excited about.

Lyonesse, Fantasy Role-Playing based on the novels by Jack Vance has been released by The Design Mechanism. We are joined by Lawrence Whitaker who tells us about the project and his formative years in role-playing.

Daily Dwarf looks at some of the other literary worlds that were brought to life in the pages of White Dwarf during its hey day.

STIMBOT5000 Andy Stimpson of Breakfast in the Ruins podcast tells us about the first game he played, the last game he played and the game that means everything to him.

Blythy and I look behind the Games Masters Screen to look for inspiration from Vance. We also cover The Dying Earth by Pelgrane Press.

There’s a new ad, produced by the UK’s Premier RPG podcast The Smart Party (I resisted the urge to put Premier in inverted commas).

Steve Ray has started Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes over on anchor.

Please support The GROGNARD files at our Patreon site to catch actual plays and other gubins.

The post Episode 38 – Lyonesse RPG (with Lawrence Whitaker) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.