Tomb Robbers of the Crystal Frontier: A Masterful Starting Adventure

[@QuestingBeast]

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[@gusl3881]

Glad you enjoyed reading through Tomb Robbers, and appreciate the positive review very much. I should note that there are three smaller Crystal Frontier adventures available on DTRPG in PDF format and I am working on others including a higher level sequel tentatively titled "Space Gods of the Crystal Frontier". Slow going of course as I do the writing, art, and layout one my own as a hobby project.

[@allegoricalstatue]

Awesome work! Really like the layout and art. Out of curiosity, what software do you use to make the layout etc? I've always been curious what people use for these sorts of things.

[@gusl3881]

@@allegoricalstatue Affinity Publisher for layout, pen and paper for art with GIMP to clean things up and do the color.

[@allegoricalstatue]

@@gusl3881 Thanks for the quick reply, very informative!

[@Mynterne]

I enjoyed running Prison of the Hated Pretender so I'm going to run Tomb Robbers and hopefully the Bruja the Beast and the Barrow soon. Looking forward to Space Gods!

[@imreadydoctor]

Dude, you're an absolute legend at this stuff! I am absolutely jealous.

[@DaveThaumavore]

That’s a lot of incredible creativity and thoughtfulness for not a lot of money. Even the print-on-demand is about as inexpensive as it gets.

[@gusl3881]

I don't write adventures to make money and try to keep my prices down. However, I still need to pay my editors fairly, print costs are rising, and I've found that free and PWYW titles are unfortunately often assumed top be low quality. Of course I don't mind a bit of beer money either.

[@eriquik]

It would be great to see a video with a compilation of your favourite introductory adventures! You’ve mentioned Winter’s Daughter and Tomb of the Serpent Kings, I’d like to know the other ones…

[@RodBatten]

You had me at "by Gus L"...

[@gusl3881]

Thanks! I'm always gratified when people like my adventures.

[@iantaran2843]

"Up their with Tomb of the Serpent Kings" ... You have my attention 🤷😂

[@cyclopean_overlord]

THANK U SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS INTO MY EARS AND EYEBALLS! I *LOVE* THE WAY THE CRYSTALS HERE FUNCTION ON SO MANY LEVELS I.E. THEY ARE AN EVOCATIVE MATERIAL, A SARCOPHAGI FOR NPCS, A MONSTER SPAWNER, A POISONOUS DRUG, AND A WHOLE DUNGEON. IT'S SUCH A GREAT IDEA TO GIVE SOMETHING SEEMINGLY SIMPLE A KIND OF ECOSYSTEM OR ORGANIC EVOLUTION - SOMETHING TO MY KNOWLEDGE IS NOT OFTEN EXPLOITED IN RPG SETTINGS.

[@Hikertrash215]

Oh man this could pair well with "Through the Valley of the Manticore " for a cool desert themed campaign and setting. Need more stuff outside of typical european fantasy!

[@shawnvaljean9260]

I am really intrigued by this setting. I'm definitely going to look into this once I get paid.

[@funkaoshi]

Always love Gus’s stuff, and this is no exception. Maybe the best thing he’s put out. The art is great.

[@WarDogMadness]

i litrally had a home brew adventure like this a number of years back using 3.5 with chaos gems fallen earth (renamed warp stone) it was 16ce in post apocalyptic world ALLER The Weathering Continent... but it was more grimdark theme (was still playing vampire counts heavily in the last edition).. than the acid house future punk colour scheme.. if you dont write up you own stuff some one else will do it better. might give this one a buy..

[@bjhale]

Good timing. I was just looking at getting this POD (already own it in PDF).

[@pickpocketpressrpgvideos6655]

Love the little room summary tags beneath each room number/heading. I can see that being very handy on the fly.

[@heilmodrhinnheimski]

This looks so insanely cool, definitely checking this out.

[@Slackarius]

I love it, might have to pick this up to include into my current DCC / MCC / whatever we'll end up abbreviating Dying Earth Classics campaign. Core conceit is a massive space elevator they are exploring, but working to include some exterior things they explore as well has been something I'm working on making sure is available so they don't feel compelled to only explore the main megadungeon.

[@zueglitz]

Just joined Patreon. Your work is very cool! Long time gamer from 70s here. Drove my wife a little nuts listening to the reading of the add em guide lol

[@cicadasunflower6234]

Hey QB, I’m planning on running a campaign where the Pc’s navigate a 2 thousand year old forgotten continent, and I need help to pad out my dungeons with lore, items, and information. What supplement books do you think would suit me best?

[@cicadasunflower6234]

@@Bluecho4 thank you! I will definitely check that out as that seems right up my alley!

[@singlespaced]

The second dungeon reminds me of the Guggenheim in New York. It is set up in much the same way.

[@demongustavditters7150]

SOLD!

[@Madkingstoe]

All of these adventures that "reward smart players" - where are you guys finding so many smart players? I even play with very intelligent people but they always make dumb decisions in game. There's nothing more awkward than having to give away the solution for how to get past a puzzle in the game.

[@gusl3881]

I tend to believe that "smart" play is something that you can teach by having consequences for bad ideas (and not always character death) and that adventures need to have space for failures, setbacks and multiple ways to solve or bypass problems so the referee never feels the need to give away puzzle solutions. I also tend to believe that most "dumb" play is a result of confused player expectations. When I was play-testing Tomb Robbers my group included three players who had only played 5E prior - they weren't dumb, but they both expected a more encounter/balanced combat focused play style and found joy in trying to break free of perceived railroads. Once they realized that combat was dangerous with little intrinsic reward and that I didn't have a set story path, meaning the game would evolve from their bad decisions as well as their good ones, they settled down and started playing a more exploration based play style.

[@Madkingstoe]

@@gusl3881 Thanks for the response and advice. I may need to watch how other OSR GM's pull it off because there may be something I'm doing wrong in how I guide my players. Perhaps its just the types of puzzles I'm putting before them. I'm planning on picking up this adventure so hopefully I've have more luck with them if you've designed multiple ways to bypass the obstacles. Thanks for your hard work on this great looking book!

[@The_Custos]

They may not be as smart as they think they are. If they lack common sense, good reasoning, an understanding of medium to long term consequences, their int and wis are probably at 6-8.

[@ohfoti]

@@Madkingstoe Watch 3D6DTL actual play - the GM and players are amazing. They really helped me to understand the table play experience and approach of OSE.

[@Madkingstoe]

@@ohfoti I'll check it out! Thanks!

[@mikegould6590]

Brilliant

[@phaedruslive]

What a cover.

[@MrBABEL79]

Hello. Do you think I can use this set as a "gym" to start practising mastering and narrating? Thanks :)

[@khpa3665]

I wish DTRPG still did staple binding. I love this large format, but it would be so much better if you could lay it flat.

[@bgaesop]

How easy or difficult would it be to run this in DCC? That's the OSR game that has most intrigued me

[@dantherpghero2885]

I am reminded of an episode of the Simpsons. American game shows reward correct answers. Japanese game shows punish ignorance.

[@TommyRushing]

Sci Fi needs an osr. Traveller is a fantastic example. But traveller is still very much an underground movement.

[@Bargletheinfamous]

Have you checked out Mothership?

[@OverBlackSands]

Stars Without Number, Mothership and Star Adventurer are all really cool games. Star Adventurer plays kinda like B/X IIRC. Cepheus Engine games are closer to Traveller but with some nice changes too

[@ThreeFortyThree]

Rifts works really well for that.

[@themagus517]

Death in Space. Essentially Mork Borg in space

[@Allvaldr]

Cepheus is basically a retroclone of Traveller Classic so there's that. Mothership and Death in Space are ok games too, but after playing both I'm less of a fan of them to be honest. Star Adventurer and Stars Without Number are good if you like a more D&D style structure to your scifi, but I prefer my scifi to be more like Traveler and less like D&D.

[@samchafin4623]

Definitely thought "western" in this context meant "European" and not "American western frontier". Seems like a cool setting and adventure, but pure treasure hunting leave me feeling flat, and gold for xp doesn't appeal on a couple levels.