Tales from the Magician's Skull - review by SE

Tales from the Magician's Skull #4 by Howard Andrew Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eight new engaging tales printed in superb format. As per the Tales from the Magician's Skull series, all are graced with RPG item/character statistics so readers can play out the stories, or play with key parts of them; the stats are in Dungeon Crawl Classics form which can readily be applied to other formats. Most have a King-sent-me-on-a-mission premise, but all are varied in tone and style. The illustrations are wonderful too. You can get TftMS from sellers like Amazon, or better... direct from Goodman Games (PDF's via DrivethruRPG).

All are stellar reads. I star my personal favorites (I'm a sucker for ghosts, dark blood magic, and tortured souls and the two with ties to Atlantis struck a cord).

-Expect returning authors to continue their serials: (a) John C Hocking's has his King's blade Benhus tracking down a magical ring in a den of thieves; deliciously dark magic explodes there; (b) also, Enge's Morlock Ambrosius appears again; this episode is a somewhat comedic and psychedelic experience as he seeks out a pair of hands he lost previously.
-Sword & Soul champion, Milton Davis, delivers a tale with the livestock loving warrior Garang being toyed with elder gods in Africa's Kush (reminiscent of Saunder's Imaro).
-Warhammer/Black Library author C.L. Werner offers a blood-soaked samurai tale that will encourage you to take care of your pets better.
*-Veteran writer Adrian Cole offers up an 'Elak of Atlantis' pastiche that echoes Henry Kuttner's voice really well (splendid conflict on a cursed island rife with elder god-things).
*-Speaking of Atlantis, Tom Doyle sends us into subterranean ruins with an Atlantean. This was the first time I read his work.
-Ryan Harvey offers us a touch of Steampunk gods plaguing Sorrow-ridden freedom fighters struggling to rebuild a city.
-James Stoddard offers the most varied tale, arguable not classic S&S. It's post-apocalyptic, curse-breaking adventure with cameo's from fairy tales.

Table of Contents (with the official teaser blurbs):
(1) Guardian of the Broken Gem by John C. Hocking

Benhus wondered what he could expect if they took him alive. Torture and interrogation, probably. They’d pry the fact that he worked for the King from him and that would seal his death warrant. He squeezed the hilt of the white dagger and wondered how many of them he could kill before they took him down.

(2) On Death Seed Island>/i>- by Adrian Cole

The cloud writhed gently, as if shifting in a breeze, though the air in the grove was very still. In a moment it had formed itself into a distinctive shape and the men drew back in alarm. It was a human figure, hunched, its face a blur, save for the eyes and mouth.

(3) Masks of Silence - by James Enge

The glass cages were full of… things. Not people, but parts of people. They were moving—they were alive: meaty throbbing hearts, shiny pulsating strips of liver, fingers crawling like inchworms, feet flopping like fish.
“There is a part of hell that’s supposed to be like this,” Deor remarked.

(4)Cage of Honor - by James Stoddard

Without hesitation, he sent his knife whistling through the air, striking the witch full in the throat. Ignoring her, he caught the woman in his arms, and she was everything to him all at once, everything he ever wanted.

(5) The Witch’s Hound - by C. L. Werner

In a burst of supernatural speed, the dog-ape lunged at Oba. It drove its hairy body beneath the sweep of his sword and drove its shoulder into his midriff in a maneuver that was more tackle than pounce. The samurai was knocked back, sent sprawling on the ground

(6) The Dead Queen’s Triumph - by Ryan Harvey

“You—don’t yet believe—that I am your queen.” The tongue moved freer as the abomination became used to speaking. “For long, I forgot that I was as well. But I am royal blood still. See?” One of the manipulated arms placed its hand over a flap on the chest cylinder. Fingers gripped the sides and pulled it open.

(7) Thieves of the Fallen World - by Tom Doyle

We’d taken these unearthly glowing gems and blades of cold flame from beings who (at best) weren’t quite human. These trophies were still puissant for ill, and a captured battle lance twitched at me like a living bug impaled on a pin. You shouldn’t be keeping such things, sire.

(8) Apedamak’s Army - by Milton Davis

Garang had made a mistake. He crouched as he walked backwards to the hut, hoping the beasts did not see him. He was halfway to the hut when the last beast spotted him and changed directions, shrieking at him as it attacked.

(X) Appendix: Game Statistics by Terry Olson

We present this appendix of game statistics for the various creatures, spells, and items described herein.

View all my reviews

Dark Rituals Malleus Maleficarum - Preparing the Game

Dark Rituals Malleus Maleficarum 

This recently fulfilled 2020 Kickstarter arrived right before the 2020 Holidays. It's one-versus-many game (witch vs. 1-4 heroes).  Before jumping in, I did some prework that other backers (and future buyers) may appreciate. This post clarifies some steps to make the already-great game more enjoyable. 

Watch Tutorial Videos on Youtube:

• Tutorial #1
• Tutorial #2
• Tutorial #3

1. Tutorial #4 / Gameplay -1
2. Learn to Play (based on proto-type) 

Download PDF's and Instructions (ie for Solo mode):

• DGG download page and links to English versions:
• Dark Rituals MM – Core Box Rules EN
• Dark Rituals MM – The Witches Sabbath Rules EN
• Dark Rituals MM – The Cursed Fjord Rules EN
• Dark Rituals MM – Solo Mode EN
• Board Game Geek Files Section

Check out the FAQ on Board Game Geek : 

This is a fan-based FAQ, living-document that captures feedback from DGG to key questions like: 

Q. What does the ✸ symbol mean?

A. A Hit (added to the Attack Value). ("gain 1 ✸" is equivalent to adding an extra  roll to Attack Value... it is NOT an extra wound)

Preparing The Miniatures, Reference Guide, and Chests:

These miniatures are great... but they are all born gray! Tough to play a game of fantasy chess with all the pieces looking the same. And the size of the mini's vary even with a type, so you cannot rely on size to help. So, let's clear that up:

1. Label each miniature with a Sharpie on its underside
2. Color by creature type/class (based off of colors in the rule book)
• Witch's team primed in BLACK, Hero & Villagers with WHITE
• Witch's subclasses dry-brushed to bring out detail:
• Witches are red (even the burning ones)
• Minions are cyan/blue
• Creatures to be summoned are lime-green
• Demons are purple
• Possessed Serfs (just black with white highlights)
3. As per the FAQ, added an "✸" on the icon reference sheet (backside of manual) for a "hit"
4. For chests, placed colored tokens to enhance contrast (otherwise they are too difficult to see" 

2021 Annual ANTHOLOGY and MAGAZINE group read begins Jan 1st!

Sword & Sorcery Group on Goodreads

Our annual group read for Sword & Sorcery Anthologies and Magazines starts now (thru Feb-2021)! 

Please join us as we read new and old anthologies & magazines, the media form that kickstarted the genre.

Great way to discover classic and contemporary authors!

Discuss here/below. Link to Discussion Folder

Please peruse and add to the Poll which we are using as means to communicate books we are reading or discussing. Poll Link

Masthead banner and credits
Tales from the Magician's Skull #5: cover art by Manuel Pérez Clemente (Sanjulián)
Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons cover art by Arik Roper
Savage Scrolls Volume One : Thrilling Tales of Sword-and-Sorcery cover art by Jesus Garcia (to be confirmed)

   

Tour Guide - Imaro Series by Saunders

This was posted originally on Black Gate

“Who am I? Who is my father? Where is my mother? Why do death and demons follow me wherever I go?” – Imaro in The Quest for Cush

Charles R. Saunders, the originator of Sword & Soul, passed away May this year (2020, Greg Mele covered a tribute for Black Gate). Saunders is most known for his Imaro tales chronicling an African-inspired “Conan the Barbarian” on the fictional continent of Nyumbani. Saunders also wrote of a heroine named Dossouye (separate series), amongst other characters. Over the years, Black Gate has reviewed the entire Imaro series and the book of associated stories called Nyumabi Tales (see list). The Goodreads Sword and Sorcery group honored his memory with a groupread, catalyzing this post. If you are looking for some buddies to share experiences while you read, then please join in (formally the Saunders group read goes through Dec., but discussions will continue beyond). This post serves as a tour guide for the series, clarifying transition from Book#1 to #2 per edition, provides Saunder's own voice (excerpts) to capture the essence of Imaro's Nyumbani, and reviews book availability.

Imaro Series Publication History:

The publication history also follows Imaro's chronology as well. Links to Black Gate reviews included.

1. Imaro: DAW 1981, Nightshade reprinted 2006 with story changes; Lulu 2014; 2008 Review by Howard Andrew Jones
2. Imaro II: The Quest for Cush:  DAW 1984, Nightshade reprinted 2006 with story changes; 2008 Review by Ryan Harvey
3. The Trail of Bohu:  DAW 1985 & Lulu 2009; 2009 Review by Bill Ward
4. Naama War: Lulu 2010; 2010 Review by Ryan Harvey War  and 2009 coverage Howard Andrew Jones & John O'Neill
5. Nyumbani Tales: Mvmedia, LLC  2018;  2017 by Fletcher Vredenburgh

• The Warrior’s Way: unpublished collection mentioned in the 2017 introduction to Nyumbani Tales penned by Saunders (more on this below).

Imaro: The Trail of Bohu - Review by SE

 

The Trail of Bohu by Charles R. Saunders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Spurred by a Sword & Sorcery groupread honoring this year's passing of Charles R. Saunders, I continued the Imaro Series with The Trail of Bohu. A guide to the series and book availability will be posted on Blackgate.com shortly [link coming].

This third novel is a setup for last: The Naama War. The Trail of Bohu has considerably less action than Imaro and The Quest for Cush: Imaro II (the prior being comprised of short stories and this being the first full-length novel). So far, Saunders has been building up two big plots: (1) Imaro's mysterious, ancestral origin, and (2) the burgeoning war between the united Northern tribes/nations (Cloud Strider and Cushite aligned) and the evil Naamans (Erriten, Mashataan sorceries). Here Saunders delivers mostly on the former, and quite comprehensively; the latter, reserved for the final book.

When he does deliver action, he doesn't hold back. Creatures are wonderfully dark:

"Even in the half-light of dusk, the animate corpses were hideous to behold. Though they were all naked, the bloating of their bodies had advanced to the point that their sex was difficult to determine. Their faces were travesties of humanity: noses split apart, teeth jutting beyond peeling lips; eyes that were nothing more than gelatinous orbs that glimmered with a tinge of green luminescence. Machawai green... The walkingdead gouged at throats, faces, eyes. They attempted no defense against the steel that hacked and slashed at their bodies..."

Saunders provides plenty of Nyumbani (i.e. Africa) lore, culture, and creatures, including mountable rhinoceros and zebras. Glossaries in the back of each book are appreciated, but not necessary. There is one distinct moment which made me snicker, recalling Samuel Jackson's renowned cursing. When questioned by Rabir about what Imaro will do when he catches the titular Bohu, Imaro says: "I will kill the mama-mfuka." I am no linguist to know the etymology of that insult, but it sounded the most contemporary of every Nyumbani term.

My favorite location is the "The Placed of Carved Trees", a mystical grove that Imaro seeks guidance:

"Each of its trees was carved into a gigantic sculpture that was grotesque in form and enigmatic in meaning. At first glance, the sculpted tree-trunks appeared distorted, and even monstrous. Many of the carvings took the shape of bulbous masses of bodies separated by thin, cylindrical stalks that might have been legs. Faces hung from those bodies--faces with misarranged features and distended mouths with protruding teeth, sometimes smiling, sometimes screaming..."

All in all a great stage for an all-out war for the continent of Nyumbani!

View all my reviews

Raising Daughters - Dyscrasia Fiction in Whetstone Magazine Issue 2

Doctor Grave, the golem necromancer from Dyscrasia Fiction, appears in Whetstone #2's RAISING DAUGHTERS. This is a stand-alone tale occurring chronologically after Spawn of Dyscrasia. 

Read Whetstone #2 now for free online (or download as PDF, click here)! 

"Lindberg's wondrous tale is like peering through a microscope or telescope and discovering an alien world almost entirely non-human, but nevertheless still recognizable: children are always a challenge, but when you create them by untraditional means, you can wind up with far more than you bargained for." - Jason Ray Carney (editor) with Chuck Clark (Assoc. Editor)

Cover Art by Rick McCollum

Issue 2, Winter 2020 CONTENTS:

Editor’s Note                                 Jason Ray Carney

The City of Tombs                        George Jacobs

An Unforgiveable Interruption      D.M. Ritzlin

The Stain on the Skull                   Simon Ruleman

The Augur of Khoalse                   Corey Graham

Dark Meditations                           J. Thomas Howard

The Mortal Essence                       Ulysses Maurer 

Hounds                                          Chuck Clark

Mother of Malevolence                 Chase Folmar 

Raising Daughters                         S.E. Lindberg

The Slain of Talhn                         R. Sagus

Under the Oak                               Zack Taylor

Best Left to Professionals             Jace Phelps

Rolf's Ride                                     Frank Coffman

WHETSTONE is an amateur magazine that seeks to discover, inspire, and publish emerging authors who are enthusiastic about the tradition of "pulp sword and sorcery." Writers in this tradition include (but are not limited to) the following: Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, Michael Moorcock, Karl Edward Wagner, David C. Smith, and many more. "Pulp sword and sorcery" emphasizes active protagonists, supernatural menaces, and preindustrial (mostly ancient and medieval) settings. Some "pulp sword and sorcery" straddles the line between historical and fantasy fiction; at WHETSTONE, however, we prefer "secondary world settings," other worlds liberated from the necessity of historical accuracy.  

First released Friday, December 4th, 2020  

Cover art by Rick McCollum 

Whetstone Seal by Bill Cavalier. 

Skull graphic by Gray Moth.  

Webpage: https://whetstonemag.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whetstonemag/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SorceryWs 

Discord: https://discord.gg/hJKdkyDuUb  

Editor/Publisher: Jason Ray Carney

Associate Editor: Chuck Clark 

Shattered Seas Review AND Deep Madness Tour Guide - Review by S.E.

This post was simulcast on Black Gate.com on Nov-28-2020

Cover art by Christopher Shy / Cover design by Byron Leavitt.

Shattered Seas is a toxic dose of Lovecraftian mythos, psychedelic team-exploration (reminiscent of Stark Trek voyages), and survival-horror melee (mutant creatures replacing zombies). It’s a maelstrom of fun if you enjoy horror adventure, losing your mind, and drowning.

Ever want to crack open the gateway into an Otherworld with a few friends? Perhaps you are ambitious and naively want to gain dominion of cosmic powers. Will you be comfortable with mutating forces transforming you into a tentacled mass? Start the madness by searching for the mystical Sphere buried in the ocean near the submerged Kadath Mining facility. Lucas Kane, a marine biologist, is one of your tour guides. Here he observes Kadath, a mining facility with organic qualities (excerpt):

Kadath lit up below them drew his attention and caught his breath. The facility sprawled across the seabed like a sunken metropolis from another world, its illuminated structures pushing defiantly upward into the inky abyss. The station’s domes and towers seemed like the last bastions of light and reason still standing in an endless Stygian wasteland. It was hypnotic, dreamlike, and yet somehow inexplicably solid. Lucas could make out the shuttle tubes running between the three main domes, as well as to the smaller, squarer outposts and middle structures. He could even see the primary enclosed drilling site not far off from the main facility, connected to Dome Three by long, spacious tubes.

This novel was inspired by Diemension Games' Deep Madness, a cooperative sci-fi/horror board game. The novel serves as a stand-alone book as much as it does a gateway into the game narrative. Non-gamers will enjoy it all the same since the key protagonists (Lucas Kane and Connor Durham) are freshly introduced, plus the story is a prequel to the story presented in the game. At the end of this article, there is an embedded movie overviewing the board game.