Saturday, July 19, 2014

Review And Commentary On The Jester Dragon's Random Tavern Generator From Skirmisher Publishing For Your Old School Campaigns

The Jester Dragon's Random Tavern Generator

Grab It Right Over
HERE
For Pay What You'd Like 

Taverns are the life blood of every single adventure in every edition in D&D! I have a love/hate relationship with taverns in OD&D style games. For me they've become the end point of an adventure and not the beginning unless they're actually the focal point of an adventure.
I've been in plenty of taverns in my time having a pint and no one really wants to be disturbed while trying to quietly concentrating on their drinking. This has in the past been grounds for murder. Look to the American Old West for plenty of examples.
 That being said because of the trope of every single adventure beginning in a tavern, a DM can use this to his advantage. This is where The Jester Dragon's Random Tavern Generator comes in very handy. With this 'little pay what you'd like' set of tables a DM can whip up with a few percentile dice 'the establishment' of their dreams.
The term tavern here can mean anything from modern bar to post apocalyptic still cell and distrillery. This set of tables can handle it all. With a toss of a few percentile dice the DM can easily add in a place where adventurers can spend their hard earned coin and get a room for the evening as well. Here's where you can add in a game of chance or two in some of the back rooms for added colour.
With a bit more imagination this product could generate an 'Old Earth' tavern aboard your favorite space station or FTL station and refueling point. A few more tosses and there might be a connection to the local space pirate guild. Because of the system neutral nature of the Jester Dragon product you can use or break the player expectations as you want or need to as a DM.
The system neutral nature of this generator makes this a great tool to play with. Regardless of edition or style of game , you'll have the drinking and social center you need, right when you need it.
For sword and planet games, taverns and bars are more then a passing fancy, water bars in desert planet games are one of the most over looked elements in game campaigns sporting a Frank Herbert Dune or Barsoomian aspect. These establishments offer the weary traveler food, water, drink, and more. A few tosses and you get some solidly otherworldly offerings that will actually fit the local back drop.
The whole eight page product is more of a tavern tool kit then simply a set of tables if you need or want another set of tables to play with. Personally a DM can't have too many monsters or old school tables. Grab this one, some dice, and a bit of paper for some notes and instantly you've got the making of someplace different for your old school games.
 All in all this was a great little  product to play with. 

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