Against the Darkmaster

Plus Dio and Ashbury

This month, the core rules for Against the Darkmaster is 50% off at DriveThruRPG. It’s a tabletop roleplaying game of “high adventure, heroic action, and heavy metal combat.” The rulebook includes a “Sources of Inspiration” section that includes the following explanation of how music influenced the game:

“Finally, think of [Against the Darkmaster] as a mix of all the above as seen through the eyes of a Heavy Metal fan. And when we say “Heavy Metal”, we mean the classics. Artists like Ronnie James Dio, Blind Guardian, Manowar, and Iron Maiden. Lyrics and music bringing to life the very clash of steel against steel and the power of elemental fire and thunder.”

Later in the “Sources of Inspiration” section, the authors provide a longer list of inspirational heavy metal bands, including Cirith Ungol, Judas Priest, Rainbow, and Savatage. One of the game inspirations for Against the Darkmaster is Middle-Earth Role Playing (MERP) from Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.). The rules of MERP were based on a streamlined version of I.C.E.'s Rolemaster fantasy RPG.

Although I’ve never played an extended campaign, I have a lot of nostalgia for Rolemaster. As teenagers, we spent a lot of time making Rolemaster characters, browsing the Tolkien modules, and most of all reading through the various injuries in the critical hit charts.

I supported the Against the Darkmaster kickstarter and hope to get a campaign going at some point.

Vault of the Dio

Speaking of Dio, @GoldenGrognard on Twitter pointed out this tweet from @Cyber_Trout, which cleverly places a tiger-riding Ronnie James Dio into the artwork of the TSR Vault of the Drow module. I especially loved changing the module number from D3 to D10 to spell out “DIO.”

Obscure Appendix LP - Ashbury

My fellow Contrarians panelist Tate Davis recommended the band Ashbury to me while we were waiting to start recording a recent show. Thank you, Tate, because I have since been constantly streaming the band’s 1983 album Endless Skies. My ears hear elements of 70s rock bands like Jethro Tull, Moody Blues, and the Outlaws mixed with some early 80s style heavy metal. The guitar playing by Randy Davis is excellent throughout. From an Appendix LP standpoint, check out the album cover featuring a wizard-looking character:

Lyrically, the song “The Warning” sets a classic fantasy RPG scene:

Looking through the keyhole
As you hear the thunder roar
You see the lightening flashing
But you know not what it's for
There looks to be a stallion
With a rider on it's back
You have seen him pass
And know that he'll be back
He looks to be a wizard
Or perhaps a magic man
With eyes of liquid fire
Golden staff within his hand
And he rides above the mountains
With the secret that he holds
The time has come, the people must be told

I highly recommend this album, and I hope to find a vinyl copy some day.

In case you’re interested, the episode that Tate and I were recording was about the album Panorama by the Cars. You can watch the show below (my spiel starts at 13:02):

You might say that there is not much of an Appendix LP connection with the Cars. When running fantasy RPG games for my home group, however, I find that things can be touch and go for my players. I have had a hard time getting through to them that some fights are better avoided. Despite cries from the more rules-lawyerly players of “don’t tell me no” and “gimme some slack,” I still try to be supportive and tell them to not feel down, boys, even when your combat rolls are up and down.