[Fanzine Focus XLIII] Carcass Crawler Issue #5

On the tail of the Old School Renaissance has come another movement—the rise of the fanzine. Although the fanzine—a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon, got its start in Science Fiction fandom, in the gaming hobby it first started with Chess and Diplomacy fanzines before finding fertile ground in the roleplaying hobby in the 1970s. Here these amateurish publications allowed the hobby a public space for two things. First, they were somewhere that the hobby could voice opinions and ideas that lay outside those of a game’s publisher. Second, in the Golden Age of roleplaying when the Dungeon Masters were expected to create their own settings and adventures, they also provided a rough and ready source of support for the game of your choice. Many also served as vehicles for the fanzine editor’s house campaign and thus they showed another DM and group played said game. This would often change over time if a fanzine accepted submissions. Initially, fanzines were primarily dedicated to the big three RPGs of the 1970s—Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest, and Traveller—but fanzines have appeared dedicated to other RPGs since, some of which helped keep a game popular in the face of no official support.

Since 2008 with the publication of Fight On #1, the Old School Renaissance has had its own fanzines. The advantage of the Old School Renaissance is that the various Retroclones draw from the same source and thus one Dungeons & Dragons-style RPG is compatible with another. This means that the contents of one fanzine will be compatible with the Retroclone that you already run and play even if not specifically written for it. Labyrinth Lord and Lamentations of the Flame Princess Weird Fantasy Roleplay have proved to be popular choices to base fanzines around, as has Swords & Wizardry. Then there is also Old School Essentials.

Carcass Crawler is ‘The Official Fanzine Old-School Essentials zine’. Published by Necrotic Gnome, Old School Essentials is the retroclone based upon the version of Basic Dungeons & Dragons designed by Tom Moldvay and published in 1981, and Carcass Crawler provides content and options for it. It is pleasingly ‘old school’ in its sensibilities, being a medley of things in its content rather than just the one thing or the one roleplaying game as has been the trend in gaming fanzines, especially with ZineQuest. To date Carcass Crawler #0, Carcass Crawler #1, Carcass Crawler Issue #2, Carcass Crawler Issue #3, and Carcass Crawler Issue #4 have all focused on providing new Classes and Races, both in ‘Race as Class’ and ‘Race and Class’ formats as well as general support for Old School Essentials.

Carcass Crawler Issue #5 follows a similar path, but provides more general, but still character-focused content. The issue includes two ‘New Character Classes’ by Brad Kerr and Gavin Norman, one new, one not so new. The new one is the ‘Ratling’. This is an anthropomorphic rat which is difficult to surprise given its strong sense of smell, has Infravision and a prehensile tale, an affinity with other rats and knows the secret language of rats. Its skills include Climb Sheer Surfaces, Detect Poison, Hear Noise, Hide in Shadows, and Move Silently. The Class is categorised as semi-martial, being similar, but not like a Thief. The second of the Classes is not new, but old, having originally appeared in Carcass Crawler #0. The Changeling Class offers the chance for a player to roleplay a Doppelgänger! The Changeling’s ‘Beguile’ skill enables the Class to speak highly persuasively in an almost Charm-like effect, at least temporarily, and with ‘Shape-Stealing’ can mimic the forms of others, unconscious or slain, an effect lasting for one Turn per Level. The counterpart to the ‘New Character Classes’ are the ‘New Character Races’ by the same authors. It should be no surprise that the Changeling has the most potential as an Assassin as well as an Illusionist or Thief, whilst the Ratling can also be an Assassin, but will also be a good Acrobat or Thief.

‘Cantrips’ by Gavin Norman does exactly what it suggests and introduces minor, Zero Level spells for Old School Essentials. They still need to be memorised, but include cantrips such as Magic Quill, Open/Close Portal, Sense Magic, and Spark. There is an optional rule and cantrip for Read Magic, making scrolls easier to read without having to give up a more powerful spell slot. The cantrips have a very Middle-earth feel, including Rune (caster traces a sigil in the air or on a surface) and Smoke Rings for the pipe-smoking Wizard!

If ‘Cantrips’ looks back to Unearthed Arcana for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, First Edition, then ‘Level 0 Characters’ by Brad Kerr and Gavin Norman is nod to N4 Treasure Hunt and N5 Under Illefarn, if not the ‘Character Funnel’ beloved of Dungeon Crawl Classics from Goodman Games. Such Player Characters start with fixed Saving Throws and low Hit Points. By default, they are Humans, but an optional rule allows for Demi-Humans with their inherent abilities. There is a guide to playing ‘funnel style’ adventures which clearly acknowledges the article’s primary inspiration, Dungeon Crawl Classics. A Zero Level Player Character also has a Background, the type depending upon his starting Hit Points. A Zero Level Player Character with more Hit Points tends to be physical and have a job that requires more strength, whilst a Zero Level Player Character with less has more sedentary Background. In addition to be used for Character Funnels, these rules and tables can be used to generate Zero Level NPCs and potential hirelings and be used to create a Background for a normal, First Level Player Character prior to the start of play.

Gavin Norman’s ‘Special Materials’ looks at both weaker and enhanced materials. For the former it lists the properties of weapons and armour made of bone, bronze, stone, and similar materials, and the perils and penalties of using broken or bent weapons, as well as cost of repairs. This opens up Old School Essentials to the possibility of cultures who lack metalworking knowledge, whether at all or enough to mark the iron and steel weapons that are the baseline arms and armour. For the latter, it does the same but for weapons and armour made of adamantine, mithril, and silver. In general, the bonuses provided are not as good as magical weapons, plus they are very expensive. This is followed ‘Expanded Poisons’, also by Norman. It expands upon the nine categories of poison given in Old School Essentials by naming them and detailing their effects. It gives cost, saving throw modification, chance of detection, onset time, and effect for each one along with a description. This adds some nasty flavour, especially if the campaign involves assassins.

In ‘Magic Swords’ by Brad Kerr with Chance Dudinack, the Game Master can create all manner of magical swords with quirky abilities. For example, a wavy wooden sword with an antlered pommel with the ‘Flavour’ quirk which when used to stir food can change its flavour or a blood-grooved blade of demon horn with a twitching eye in the pommel and the quirk of ‘Gloating’, meaning that it laughs evilly in combat, reducing enemy morale! Some entertaining quirks here, enabling the Game Master to create some memorable blades—the quirks could easily be applied to other weapons as appropriate—that will enhance (or ruin) the reputations of both the Player Characters and NPCs that wield them.

Chance Dudinack’s ‘Lake & River Monsters’ details eight new monsters found in freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers. They include the Giant Beaver, the Freshwater Hag, Grindylow (aquatic prank-playing, but cowardly gremlins), Weretoads, Mudslingers (amphibious fish that hunt by spitting mud), Shellycoat (aquatic humanoids that feed on the corpses of the drowned), Snallygaster (reptilian birds with lamprey mouths full of tentacles that suck the blood of the living), and River Trolls. They are all decently done and are accompanied by decent illustrations, In addition, they appear in the adventure that follows.

‘Up Chaos River’ by Brad Kerr and Chance Dudinack is a two-part funnel adventure designed to be played using twelve to fifteen Zero Level Player Characters. The first part ‘The River’. By Brad Kerr, it is a rivercrawl that begins in the town of Blackwater that recently held its midsummer festival, but which since has fallen under a curse as ooze from the river mutates its inhabitants, including its warriors and wizards. With no-one else to investigate, it is up to a band of townsfolk—brave or foolish enough—to paddle or punt upriver to discover the source and put a stop to the problem. There are some nasty encounters along the way, such as a blade poking up out of the water that draws boats to it to slice them in half or a man yelling for help, stranded on a toad infested island, who if rescued, turns out to be a Weretoad(!), but there are good opportunities too, such as rescuing a mermaid. There is a great variety of encounters here, so it a pity that the players and their characters will not experience them all. There are rules given for river travel and worse, for the effects of the river ooze, should a Player Character touch it.

The second part is ‘Hag’s Lair’ by Chance Dudinack. This details the lair of the creature responsible, constructed by her giant beaver minions. It is thick with mud and chewed wood and festooned with traps. It is a mucky, murky adventure that will ultimately lead to a confrontation with the villain of the piece. She is a fiercesome opponent armed with her own magical wooden spoon. However, one disappointment is that combat is the only option considered for dealing with her. It would have been good if the adventure had included options for negotiating or reasoning with her.

‘Up Chaos River’ is an entertaining adventure, though ‘The River’ is the better of the two parts, having a eerie, weird feel. It will be challenging for the Zero Level Player Characters—let alone First Level Player Characters—and any who survive will be truly seasoned. It makes good use of the monsters in ‘Lake & River Monsters’.

Physically, Carcass Crawler Issue #5 is well written and well presented. The artwork is excellent and the cartography good.

Carcass Crawler Issue #5 is an excellent issue of the fanzine. There is a nice balance between new Character options and content supporting campaigns and scenarios. All capped by a good scenario that will challenge the most experienced of players and provide two or three good sessions’ worth of play. Carcass Crawler Issue #5 is good not just for Old School Essentials, but just about any retroclone.