The Critical Hits Trilogy From TPK Games is Finally Released!

Most folks who read my blog with any regularity know that in addition to writing books like my recent short story collection The Rejects and my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, running two blogs, and keeping up an archive of articles over on Vocal, that I also write RPG supplements. And while most of my supplements recently have tended to focus on the fill-in details that DMs need for their games, like pre-made NPCs, or mercenary companies, cults, etc. a lot of folks have been asking when I'm going to actually write some full-on modules.

Well, I have been. And though they've slipped under the radar for the most part, all three of them are finally out, so I thought I'd collect all of them in one place to let my readers know!

And for those who didn't see it last week, well, this is the most recent release!

Critical Hits: How They Came To Be

For those of you not in the know, I wrote three one-shot modules for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition several years back. While the first two, False Valor and The Curse of Sapphire Lake have been out for a little while now, Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh has finally dropped. So, now that they're all out I figured I'd take a moment to let folks know, and to give you a bit of background on how they came to be.

Every great game needs a little backstory, right?

Our tale begins several years ago. I was sifting through my email in between reviews and posts, when a unique project proposal came across my desk. The client was looking to make a website where dungeon masters could create slick, sleek-looking modules with relatively little effort, and almost no desktop publishing knowledge. However, to provide a kind of proof-of-concept he needed some writers to create modules using the site to show off what could be done with it.

He'd seen some of my other work, and decided to offer me a shot.

Now, writing modules wasn't really something I had a lot of experience with at the time, but if the site was as easy to use as the client claimed I figured it couldn't be too difficult. Especially since he didn't want anything huge; just a simple, one-shot module that could be used to fill an evening. Something he could use as an example, and to give away for free to prospective DMs who joined. With a competitive per-word rate, I told him sure, I'd be able to get something up in fairly short order.

The first module I wrote was actually Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh. A simple module where something dangerous is assaulting the one road into the town of Bracken, and the heroes need to fight off whatever it is, and track it back to its source in order to end the threat. Grim, dark, and dreary, it had a basic hook, a simple setup, and could be played through by experienced players and new ones alike. I was about 80 percent done with the module, and I'd just finished up the text for the adventure's Big Bad, when the client reached out and told me he was shutting down the site. He apologized profusely, gave me a generous kill fee for the project, and wished me luck.

Problem was that I now had a module that was most of the way done, with no one to publish it.

That was, of course, about to change.

I'd been in the game for a while, so I reached out to Total Party Kill Games (whom I'd created feats for in the past), and showed them the module I had. They liked it, but were a little unsure about its length. They really wanted something a bit meatier, which would justify a print run and putting the story out in multiple formats. Rather than re-work the module I had, I offered a counter-proposal; I could write several more modules just like this one, and they could be bundled together. Each one could offer different themes, different hooks, and different tones, the collection acting as a kind of gaming sample platter for DMs and players who might want to try a horror game, a murder mystery, etc., but who didn't want to commit to an entire campaign.

Said idea was approved, and that's how the Critical Hits series came to be!

Why Are There Only Three?

It's been several years since the project was first given the okay, and as sometimes happens in publishing there were snags. Existing projects had to be rearranged due to new editions coming out, creative teams got reshuffled, and so on, and so forth. As I said, despite Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh being the original module that kicked off the whole project, it was only just released at the tail end of this initial run.

And while I don't have anything in the pipe right now, that could all change depending on you my dear readers.

What can we do?

As I confided to my friends when I first started working on these (I finished all three modules over the course of the summer, by the by), I would be more than happy to keep creating modules as long as people were playing them. And generally speaking, publishers take notice if they put out a product that starts climbing up the medal scale over at Drive Thru RPG.

So if you've seen these before (or if you're just now finding out about the series, and would like to see it grow), here's what you can do to help. If you have a couple of bucks, by yourself a copy. If you already have a copy, leave a review since that helps more people find the modules. Share the link, and tell your friends about it. And it you've got a gaming podcast, a blog, or a YouTube channel, consider using that platform to help me boost the signal on these. Heck, if you want to do a play through or a review, just email me and I'll make sure you get yourself a reviewer copy of any or all of these!

And I'll do my part to share the signal boost back your way!

And if you're not sure which game would best suit your needs (or if you don't like to buy things blind), I'll do my part to try to guide your decisions.

False Valor: Written second, but released first, this module is a murder-mystery investigation. A girl was killed in a way that resembles the execution method used by war criminals generations ago, and it's got tensions running high. Are the elves starting hostilities again, or is something else happening? This module was meant to show players (particularly newer ones) that hacking and slashing won't solve all your problems, and that you need to find the true enemy before you can hope to fight them.

The Curse of Sapphire Lake: We're only halfway to Halloween, but this one was very specifically meant as a love letter to all my fellow slasher fans out there. An ancient campfire tale stalks the town of Kingsbridge, but is it just a monster from out of the mists, or is there something more going on beneath the surface? Piecing together what's happening now with the events that led the settlement's founder to be slain decades ago could be the key to unlocking what the masked figure stalking the town wants... and what will make it stop.

Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh: Meant to evoke the danger of the world beyond the safety of the walls, and the claustrophobic air of an unknown threat (something I daresay we're all much too familiar with these days), this module is meant to be tense, grim, and a little frightening. Everything is damp, dreary, and the horror of what's truly happening out in the wetlands beyond Bracken can leave players horrified. While it doesn't have mature content, it's the bleak way the module presents what it has that might make it something your group loves, or hates, depending on their tastes. If you're a fan of Dark Souls, Shadow of The Demon Lord, and other grim tales, this one should definitely be on your shelf.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

I Make Stuff For 5th Edition Too, You Know

Most people associate my blog with Pathfinder, or with general gaming advice. The same can be said of a lot of the projects I work on, and the content I produce. However, I've been doing more and more stuff for 5th Edition this last little while, and I thought I'd take this Monday's update to draw some folks' attention to it.

Particularly the readers out there who enjoy my ideas and flair, but who aren't about that Pathfinder life.

Critical Hits: Total Party Kill Games

Come on, you know you're curious.

I've written for Total Party Kill Games in the past, but this summer I embarked on a new project for them. The goal was to write smaller, one-shot modules with engaging stories you can either run on their own, or fold into a bigger campaign. Each adventure is unique, setting-neutral, and can be run in a handful of hours with minimal prep work on the DM's part.

The series is being called Critical Hits, and the first one to come out is False Valor. For DMs who are tired of dungeon crawls, or hack-and-slash setups, this module gives your players a murder to solve. A young girl has been killed in a way that hearkens back to a war settled for several generations now... but if her death isn't solved quickly then that old tinder might spark back up!

There will be other installments in this series, as well as a few miscellaneous projects I've got in the works. Still, I wanted to make sure everyone knew where to look if they needed a solid one-shot.

Azukail Games: DM Supplements Galore

Seriously, how many times would this have come in handy?

I've been creating content for Azukail Games for a little over a year now, and I even wrote about some of the supplements I'd done back in May when I posted Random Tables, Courtesy of Azukail Games! Well since that update, I've been asked to generate some 5th Edition-specific stuff (both writing new guides and converting old ones). And since it's been a tic, I thought I'd update you on what we've brought out recently.

- 100 Bits of Miscellaneous Tat To Find: A collection of treasure and swag that's all valued under 1 gold piece, this was my first supplement for Azukail Games. After a bit of re-tooling, it's been re-released for 5E play.

- 100 Pieces of Flotsam and Jetsam To Find On A Beach: Whether it's a great lake, an inland sea, or the edge of the ocean, this guide is full of odd encounters, weird treasures, and grisly finds that PCs can find along the beach. Another oldie, re-tooled to make 5E DMs' lives easier.

- 100 Encounters in a Fey Forest: If your party is traveling through a fey domain, there are all kinds of weird things they might see, hear, or be subject to. This guide gives you some ideas for encounters, only a few of which are combat-oriented, that can help spice up their travel.

- 100 Random Encounters For On The Road, or in The Wilderness: Another collection of encounters, this one is also relatively light on the combat. From hidden treasures, to forgotten ruins, to riddling statues and wandering merchants who may not be all they appear, the wilderness is full of potential for odd or unusual encounters.

- A Baker's Dozen of Rumours (And The Truth Behind Them): An ideal supplement for DMs who want lore, rumors, and a clear path to set their players on, each of these installments is beefy enough that you could run an entire sessions around getting to the truth. Or you could just fold them into your existing setting/campaign if all you need is a little extra meat in case your players step off the beaten path.

There's More On The Way

When it comes to gaming supplements, modules, guides, etc., I've always got something new coming out. These are just my most recent releases geared toward 5th Edition. If you're curious, check 'em out. If you like them then please leave a review, and tell your friends about them! The more folks make it clear that they like what I'm putting out, the more stuff I'll get green-lit in the future.

And if you've already got any of these, feel free to leave recommendations in the comments!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday installment. If you'd like to see more from me then check out my Vocal archive, or go to my Gamers page just to see my tabletop stuff. You might also want to check out the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I work with other gamers to make videos for dungeon masters and gamers alike! To stay on top of all my releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. If you'd like to support me work, Buy Me A Ko-Fi to leave a one-time tip, or go to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular patron.

Lastly, you can Buy My Books if you'd like to check out some of my fiction!