Sunday, December 5, 2021

Pix of the New Book

Kelvin Green asked me if I could send his some photos of the new book to post on his blog (though I'm not particularly sure this is his plan...at the moment he seems very into pie). Anyway, since he DID do all the art for Comes Chaos, I figured the least I could do is mail him a print copy; however, international postage being a bit wonky at the moment, it might take a while to get to him.

SO, I sent him some photos, and I figured I might as well post them here as well...just in case folks are considering the book as a stocking stuffer this holiday season. Here you go:

Softcover, 64 pages


Some really good art pieces from K.G.


It's a B/X setting supplement, so
includes rules for designing/running the setting.


A few adjustments to the standard B/X
rules to incorporate the vagaries of the Chaos gods.

For folks like me, who grew up wishing they could find a way to make GW's Realms of Chaos books in their D&D campaign...well, this adapts many of those books various ideas (as well as stuff from other games/works of fiction). Works well for a Moorcock style "Chaos takeover" or medieval-style Mutant Chronicles. It is NOT designed for Advanced D&D (most of it was written while living in Paraguay, back when I was still "all B/X, all the time") but most of it is pretty adaptable. And it should work perfectly well with OSE...although the chapters are written in the same layout format as B/X.

People might be wondering why and how they might ever find a use for a book like this. "I'm not planning on blowing up my campaign world, a la Moorcock's Elric saga...and I definitely don't want my PCs running around as mutant champions of evil!" There are still many ways to use the book. It has new monsters, magic items, and spells that you can throw into your campaign world. It has alternate B/X rules (and an alternate B/X class or two) that you might find useful. It can be used to create small pocket areas of "bad juju" for PCs to heroically explore and combat. It has ideas for how to unify various "kitchen sink" themes found in D&D (like all the weird, Chaotic humanoids and the "funhouse" dungeons in which they live).

Anyway, it's a neat little book. And I just happen to have a big ol' pile of them on hand.
; )

By the way: just while I'm on the subject of hocking my wares, my B/X Companion is once again sold out. A new print run HAS been ordered, so I'll be able to send out copies in the next week or so, but if you don't want to wait there ARE retailers (like Wayne's Books) that have it in stock. You should NOT need to buy copies from eBay for hundreds of dollars (those keep popping up for some reason; not sure why). If your money is burning that big a hole in your pocket, email me directly...I'll take your $300 and send you my kid's copy (he'd happily split the money with me and wait for a copy from the new print run). 

[okay, no, don't send me hundreds of dollars for a book that costs less than $30. My POINT is, please don't be a sucker]

Finally, one last thing I want to note before I sign off and start prepping for Football Sunday (I'm going to the Seahawks game today, which will be really depressing given the way they're playing this season...): while Comes Chaos is the work of myself and Kelvin Green (illustrator), the impetus for creating it AS A PROJECT is largely due to James V. West who, back in the days of G+, issued a challenge to folks to design a 64 page "setting book" for B/X. When I took up his gauntlet...many years ago...I do not think I envisioned actually publishing a printed book. I'm not sure who else might have participated or completed their projects (if any of my readers do, I'd be interested in being informed) but...well, I did. Finally. 

Now, onto the next project. Cheers!

15 comments:

  1. regarding your last point; I never was challenged to make a setting book, but rather started one on my own; eventually I'll finish it. Black Metal + OSR. giants, wolves, mountains, dying of the cold. unfortunately it's a bit lower on my priorities right now

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  2. Congratulations on the new book, will add it to my wish list!

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  3. Thank you for the pictures. I have interrupted my pie-related content for some promotional considerations. :)

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    1. I quite enjoy the pie-related content, actually.
      : )

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    2. I think it gets more views than my art or game content. Maybe I should be a food blogger. ;)

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    3. Well, sure. I’m always googling for new recipes, and I’m more of a hack chef than I am a hack writer!

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  4. You got your money worth at the seahawks game.

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    1. About a third of the stadium was wine-drinking, mouth-breathing Niners fans. About the 2nd quarter, the "regulars" in our section decided we didn't care how crappy our season was...we were going to enjoy ourselves and beat the Niners. They did not score on our side of the field (the north endzone, AKA "the Hawks Nest"), except for a 56 yard field goal. That was the side that had the safety, that was the side where we me made the 4th down stop to win the game.

      It was quite entertaining, though I'm quite hoarse today. It was pretty loud.
      ; )

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    2. My tickets are on that side as well. Section 305. Not that I was at the game.

      I live in the Bay Area now so beating the 49ers is that much sweeter. My last live game was actually the 2019 Seahawks victory at Levi stadium.

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    3. Right on, man. I'm section 146.
      : )

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