[Frog God Games] The Lost Lands: Sword of Air Kickstarter has gone live!


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The electronic stuff has no value to me and to be honest, I kind of feel like I'm paying for something I don't want anyhow. I'm personally glad it's a later stretch goal rather than having the book smaller but having the HL and D20Pro files available at 75k. Alternatively, I'd prefer they be an add on (supplied at cost) rather than provided free (at least if they were to be included in the initial goal).

Scarab Sages

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Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:

Skeets, your point is understandable.

...but it's also a matter of perspective. Offer the HL files as a for sure thing and I'll do my part of the heavy lifting, right here...

....At this point, check the hours spent at cost for HL file creation, markup with your desired profit percentage, and post for purchase on the website....

...Slumbering Tsar was a particularly expensive learning lesson for us. We kept thinking 'somebody will eventually have to create HL files for this thing, right?' Well, it never happened, we never ran it and now we're gun shy of it happening again.

I'll just comment as someone who helped FGG with Herolab files for ToHC, and Rappan Athuk. They are not at all easy to create 'correctly', and many many hundreds of work hours go into them.

If it were just a matter of putting in a few weekends I'm sure there would be Slumbering Tsar Herolab files. I'd guesstimate somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 work hours to convert it cover to cover.


They are still an add on at $17.99 even at a stretch goal.


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

Skeeter,

A. When I told my wife that you called me rational her response was, and I qoute: "Oh HELL no!"

B. One day I'm gonna make a point of going to a gaming convention so that I can meet you face-to-face, buy you an adult beverage or two, and give you the opportunity to tell me to quit #@$!*ing about the %^#$ing Hero Lab files all the time! :)

I know FGG isn't a big operation and it isn't really realistic or even fair for me to expect you guys to provide HL support every time for every product and I would never expect any HL files to be done for free.

I suppose part my group's frustration is that there's not just some site, or service, that specializes in kicking out HL files for a fee. DriveThruHLFiles, if you will. Click here for Temple of Elemental Evil PF Hero Lab files, 50$ USD, click here for Slumbering Tsar PF Hero Lab files, 75$ USD, etc. Since that, to my knowledge, doesn't exist, we sometimes get antsy when a product that we really do want to use, like ST or SoA, comes along with no HL support or with it only as a stretch goal.

I should apologize for sounding as though it's just expected that HL files will be offered somehow as an option, and that FGG is somehow less of a company if they aren't. That's just not the case and I'm sorry if that was how the post came off sounding.

...but I'm not gonna stop #$%@#ing and moaning for my Hero Lab files :)

DJF


Well I won't complain about them, but they ARE a real nice add to have. Count on me buying them if they are available.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, PF Special Edition Subscriber

As someone who has only ever used Hero Lab for player characters, what is the advantage of having all the monsters in hero lab when they are all stated in the book / PDF for the GM to use?

It's not like the other players should be viewing these.

Maybe I'm not understanding...


You can modify them to your hearts content that way and is a lot easier to keep track of them. It is great for creating wandering monsters!


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

I'm in!

HL use: brvheart has mentioned a few. Additionally, if you use a VTT they are a complete godsend for setup.

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

New updates, and one that Dr. JF is going to like...


Providing the HL files is not the easiest thing to do. There is a lot involved that most people do not see.

There is a lot (Especially with FGG) where they add 1 line of text because it sounds cool, but that one sentence causes us hours, weeks or months of work to get it working. (Razor Coast files, the class Yohunga for instance. It looks like it would work like a summoner, but there are enough fundamental differences that work had to be done, outside the editor, to change the very mechanics of how HeroLab itself works. This is NOT something that is easy to do, and took about a month of work to accomplish.) In some cases, it cannot be done. (Like the Justicar stacking critical improvements.) While it is simple to write that one line, getting it to work in HL is a completely different story.

In order to PROPERLY code the HL files, you need to have a person that knows how to do the coding, knows the PF ruleset, and has the attention to detail to be able to bring multiple things together. Without this combination, you end up with files that

a. do not work,
b. cause problems with HeroLab
c. do not follow the rules mechanics (This is separate from the written work following the rules.)

I know that I have bought files from companies, and when I actually tried to use them, they don't do anything. The text is there, but the abilities cannot be turned on or off, things do not work together properly, abilities that add bonuses are not coded to add them, the coder misinterpreted the rules and coded it incorrectly (Stacking like bonuses for instance when they should not be.), or many other problems.

So don't hold it against a company if they cannot provide those files. They are not that easy to do, and take extra time.


Skeeter Green wrote:
New updates, and one that Dr. JF is going to like...

Cool update - that NPC looks awesome :-) And nicely played with the second upate as well, heh heh...


Skeeter Green wrote:
New updates, and one that Dr. JF is going to like...

Yes...well played. :)


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

Skeeter, Skeeter, Skeeter...so after I read the KS update and finally stopped chuckling about the good news (HL files when the KS funds), I knew there was no way I could let my commitment stop at the 110$ mark.

So yeah, DJF JR. is gonna have to pay for his school lunches by back room 5th grade Fight Club matches in November, because I went all out and pledged at the 200$ level.

You, Chuck, Bill, Greg and everybody else working at FGG really do set the bar for not only great PF products but also just plain excellent customer service.

Anyway, it's Saturday night and there's episodes of Hell on Wheels calling out to me from the DVR, so here's hoping for mega funding on this thing!

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:

Skeeter, Skeeter, Skeeter...so after I read the KS update and finally stopped chuckling about the good news (HL files when the KS funds), I knew there was no way I could let my commitment stop at the 110$ mark.

So yeah, DJF JR. is gonna have to pay for his school lunches by back room 5th grade Fight Club matches in November, because I went all out and pledged at the 200$ level.

You, Chuck, Bill, Greg and everybody else working at FGG really do set the bar for not only great PF products but also just plain excellent customer service.

Anyway, it's Saturday night and there's episodes of Hell on Wheels calling out to me from the DVR, so here's hoping for mega funding on this thing!

I love HoW!. Im 2 episodes behind...

Layout and Design, Frog God Games

We are at the halfway mark! Please help spread the word!


Since it has not been mentioned, I will throw in the disclaimer for Skeeter.

To make full use of the HeroLab files, there may be additional packages required. These could include things like Bestiary (1, 2, 3), Tome of Horrors Complete, and/or Tome of Horrors IV. We will not know until after everything is completed which ones will actually be needed. When I say "Make full use of", this means that maybe only an NPC file uses something from that file.

What I started doing with the Razor Coast files was listing which ones are required to load the file in your HeroLab without starting errors, and then also list the additional ones that are used in the portfolios.

We still have to fund the Kickstarter for the files to be made, but just wanted to add this while I was on the site.

Umarian
Deep Cave Frog


I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

Shadow Lodge

Umarian wrote:

Providing the HL files is not the easiest thing to do. There is a lot involved that most people do not see.

There is a lot (Especially with FGG) where they add 1 line of text because it sounds cool, but that one sentence causes us hours, weeks or months of work to get it working. (Razor Coast files, the class Yohunga for instance. It looks like it would work like a summoner, but there are enough fundamental differences that work had to be done, outside the editor, to change the very mechanics of how HeroLab itself works. This is NOT something that is easy to do, and took about a month of work to accomplish.) In some cases, it cannot be done. (Like the Justicar stacking critical improvements.) While it is simple to write that one line, getting it to work in HL is a completely different story.

I like Hero Lab, and find it very useful. And I'm sure that that's a lot of work for the Cave Frogs. However, I hope that they continue to write the adventures/monsters/etc as they envision them, and never "dumb them down" to cater to making Hero Lab or similar tools easier to integrate. Although I doubt that ever crossed their minds. I would rather they simply drop Hero Lab support altogether before doing that.

Layout and Design, Frog God Games

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PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

Your statement is far from the truth and not what we are about. If we were in it for the money we wouldn't be making games (you can't make a living off of this as a small company).

I haven't been involved in communicating when new RA subscriptions have been released to the subscribers, but I know "couldn't be bothered to" doesn't describe the efforts of anyone in the company.

I'm sorry that is how you feel and how you spend your money is your business, that's fine, but please don't ascribe motivations to people when you do not, and cannot know what our motivations are.

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

Actually, we had been having trouble with our previous host site. We have been waiting to get our own website up, so we can get the info out to everyone that has subscribed to RA and Cyclopean Deeps. We are getting the latest files uploaded to the site now (RA is not completely uploaded yet; Cyclopean Deeps is up).

We're getting the bugs worked out, and things aren't 100% yet.

To insinuate that we've abandoned any of our lines is inaccurate. If you don't want Sword of Air, that's completely up to you, but we haven't abandoned anything.

Skeeter


Can't wait for the next few CD and RA subscription levels. The RA book was awesome, the fact the kickstarter is still giving value more than a year down the track is an added bonus. :)

Scarab Sages

PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

What part of the Kickstarter hasn't been fulfilled? I seem to have everything from my pledge.


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To me the subscriptions were an addon and not really part of the RA Kickstarter - that was just one way to get them. I don't think the RA Kickstarter page is the right way to notify subscribers. Different strokes though, I guess.


PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

RA Sub3 has been available for awhile now. I downloaded mine on 9/3. Not that I am completely enthused with this one, it has been out. FGG has admitted that they ARE behind and have committed to completing the subscription. They did so almost a month ago so I would not say they have forgotten about it. Yes there wasn't any real notice about it being available. It just appeared. They were having issues with turn over at the time so I can give them a break there. Skeeter has mentioned that RA4 is on development for an update on it.


Chuck Wright wrote:
PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

Your statement is far from the truth and not what we are about. If we were in it for the money we wouldn't be making games (you can't make a living off of this as a small company).

I haven't been involved in communicating when new RA subscriptions have been released to the subscribers, but I know "couldn't be bothered to" doesn't describe the efforts of anyone in the company.

I'm sorry that is how you feel and how you spend your money is your business, that's fine, but please don't ascribe motivations to people when you do not, and cannot know what our motivations are.

It sure seems like you can't be bothered to post an update. There has been no updates or any information about the subscription. If you can't be bothered then why don't you explain how you ignored letting all the subscribers know what is happening. What word would you like me to use instead of bothered? I believe the last time any information was sent to subscribers was in may. We paid for it and FGG just ignores questions about the subscription. So please go ahead and give the reason no updates were sent to subscribers.


Steve Geddes wrote:
To me the subscriptions were an addon and not really part of the RA Kickstarter - that was just one way to get them. I don't think the RA Kickstarter page is the right way to notify subscribers. Different strokes though, I guess.

That is how we were notified for the first 2 parts. Through kickstarter.


Skeeter Green wrote:
PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

Actually, we had been having trouble with our previous host site. We have been waiting to get our own website up, so we can get the info out to everyone that has subscribed to RA and Cyclopean Deeps. We are getting the latest files uploaded to the site now (RA is not completely uploaded yet; Cyclopean Deeps is up).

We're getting the bugs worked out, and things aren't 100% yet.

To insinuate that we've abandoned any of our lines is inaccurate. If you don't want Sword of Air, that's completely up to you, but we haven't abandoned anything.

Skeeter

I just wish you could send something like this out to the subscribers. I have had to do a lot of searching to find out what is happening and I just today found out part 3 was out. I can't download it but it is out. Responding to me here is more work than informing the subscribers from ks.


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PathfinderFan64 wrote:
Steve Geddes wrote:
To me the subscriptions were an addon and not really part of the RA Kickstarter - that was just one way to get them. I don't think the RA Kickstarter page is the right way to notify subscribers. Different strokes though, I guess.
That is how we were notified for the first 2 parts. Through kickstarter.

Maybe, I'm not really paying attention anymore so I wouldnt have noticed. Like I say, we each have our own preferences. I keep an eye on the Rana reader, since (for me) the Rappan Athuk kickstarter is over. As part of that, I got a further subscription for a reduced price, but I dont consider it part of the kickstarter. The trouble with using that as the vehicle for subscription announcements is that it wont reach everyone who subscribed.

Not trying to change your mind or anything - we each make our own judgements about what's reasonable. That's my way of thinking about it though.

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

I'm glad I'm not getting those updates through Kickstarter. It would be nice if the people it applies to were getting the emails however.

Layout and Design, Frog God Games

PathfinderFan64 wrote:
Chuck Wright wrote:
PathfinderFan64 wrote:
I would have liked to have been a part of this ks but I can't. You seem to have abandoned the RA kickstarter. There is another level from the subscriptions available and you can't even be bothered to inform the subscribers. Those backers were the people who made RA possible and even pre-paid for the subscriptions. Now you just forget about them and want more money for your new project.

Your statement is far from the truth and not what we are about. If we were in it for the money we wouldn't be making games (you can't make a living off of this as a small company).

I haven't been involved in communicating when new RA subscriptions have been released to the subscribers, but I know "couldn't be bothered to" doesn't describe the efforts of anyone in the company.

I'm sorry that is how you feel and how you spend your money is your business, that's fine, but please don't ascribe motivations to people when you do not, and cannot know what our motivations are.

It sure seems like you can't be bothered to post an update. There has been no updates or any information about the subscription. If you can't be bothered then why don't you explain how you ignored letting all the subscribers know what is happening. What word would you like me to use instead of bothered? I believe the last time any information was sent to subscribers was in may. We paid for it and FGG just ignores questions about the subscription. So please go ahead and give the reason no updates were sent to subscribers.

I am the Layout and Art Director, it is impossible for me to answer those questions. You would know this if you had read what I originally wrote to you. I am not in charge of notifying subscribers. Could things have been done better than they were? Possibly. Did the RA Sub 3 come out when we were going through internal changes? Yes. Does this mean that we "can't be bothered with our customers"? No.

There really is nothing else I can say to you. You aren't happy? Fine. Have you tried e-mailing our customer support on the matter? I have to say that many people who do find that we bend over backwards to help our customers out. Blasting on the boards that we don't care is just a blatant falsehood.

Again, I'm sorry that you feel the way that you do.


Chuck Wright wrote:
I am the Layout and Art Director...

Nice work. The FGG books are easy on the eye and a pleasure to read.

Layout and Design, Frog God Games

Steve Geddes wrote:
Chuck Wright wrote:
I am the Layout and Art Director...
Nice work. The FGG books are easy on the eye and a pleasure to read.

*tips his slimy hat to Steve*

Dark Archive

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I've always found the frogs very cooperative when I've asked questions personally, one reason why I keep going for their products even though I so rarely get to use them! :/

I believe they've fully admitted on the boards here about some of the issues going on with some of the subs, and spoke quite personally about it which I think many people appreciated, respected, and understood.

Honestly it's a pretty small community we're all in so I think the word has gotten around about the difficulties. It's unfortunate but with some of the things that were going on (personal issues as well as personnel changes) completely understandable in my opinion.


One of these days I want to bail someone up to hear the background about the "legal issues" surrounding CD. <- A gossip, at heart.

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

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PF64-
You raise some valid points. We dropped the ball on getting the info out to people. We don't go to the KS page to make announcements, as the subscription is not part of the RA KS. It was an add-on, but is separate.

Other people have gotten the file. It is currently available as a freebie on our site, for a few more hours, then we're pulling it. So, if you want it right this instant, get it now.

We are redesigning the website and uploading products, so as soon as that one is finalized, we'll be able to announce to everyone that its ready for permanent download.

Future updates will go out through the Rana Reader, and be announced on G+ and on the website. I don't know about the functionality of doing an instant email to people announcing that things are ready, we'll look into it.

We aren't Paizo, and don't have the forums, announcements, staffing, or resources they do. We're doing the best we can.

I would offer to do more, but after looking at the history of your posts, it seems you enjoy witch-hunts, so I'll not continue this any longer than I have to. Your tirade against several other 3pp takes up most of your posting history.

So, just to put this to bed; we're doing our best. It is not perfect. If it means we lose some people because we cant get everything perfect 100% of the time, I'm sorry. We strive to take care of our people, that's our goal.

Skeeter

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

Steve Geddes wrote:
One of these days I want to bail someone up to hear the background about the "legal issues" surrounding CD. <- A gossip, at heart.

Steve-

Any time you come to a convention and procure me a drink, Ill be happy to tell you the story.

SG


You're on. Someday our US travel dates will line up with Dallas or Paizocon...


Small company or no, you guys do a great job most of the time Skeeter. Just as an illustration though, another small company that has a kickstarter I am backing that isn't much bigger, Dwarven Forge. Their KS went from 50,000 to 1.2 million. Now if anything figured like it would be delayed due to such a huge explosion due to demand it would be this. However, we just received notice that they have begun shipment and all orders are scheduled to be shipped on time by Oct 25th. Now I know that there is a huge difference in manufacturing gaming tiles and a RPG, but it does show that a huge Kickstarter can be done by a small company on time.


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Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

I might bust Skeeter and FGG's coconuts occasionally, almost always about Hero Lab files, but make no mistake, they are, in my opinion, the finest overall producer of RPG material in the business with the exception of Paizo itself. When I think about the level of effort required to run their business, it's pretty incredible.

Half a dozen or less people are performing content creation, play testing, art procurement, editing, layout, project and schedule management, order packing and product distribution, customer support, advertising, invoicing and financials and probably fifty other things that we'll never know about.

...and they do it in their spare time.

In the future, if something does slip through the cracks, either from scheduling problems or less communication about an issue than I'd like to see, or whatever, I think I'm gonna remind myself about all the really great things that they have accomplished, and just either send a private message to Chuck, Skeeter or Bill about my problem or use the support link on their website, instead of going all board warrior with it.

But, that's just me.


Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:

I might bust Skeeter and FGG's coconuts occasionally, almost always about Hero Lab files, but make no mistake, they are, in my opinion, the finest overall producer of RPG material in the business with the exception of Paizo itself. When I think about the level of effort required to run their business, it's pretty incredible.

Dr. Fever, I agree whole heartedly! I've said it once and I'll say it again, everyone at FGG does good work. You all make books I wanna buy, so keep making them and I'll keep buying. Thank you for being one of the best.

Dr. Palmer

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

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Thanks guys. Sometimes the small posts that refrain from pointing out what we're doing wrong are extremely helpful.

And have no fear, we don't plan on stopping the crazy train any time soon.

SG


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I like the crazy train. :)


Yeah, I'm patient. I might ask on occasion for an update (okay, I asked just once), but I trust FGG and know that they'll (eventually) deliver.

(With that said, I'm glad they won't be going the subscription route anymore after they finish up the RA Expansions subscription and CD subscription... they just don't seem to have the staffing and infrastructure to offer a product in that way - they are way off their schedule with those two! [And their communication has been a tad spotty.] Here's to more 'traditional' releases in the future!)

Pathfinder Rules Conversion, Frog God Games

Speaking of updates, 2 new updates to the Kickstarter.

Publisher, Frog God Games

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I'll take all the heat for the bad communication on RA KS--its that "too many email accounts and server issues thing"; but I should have posted when we uploaded the last 2 of the RA sub.

I am working on the next level of ToT while this KS cooks--so should be able to finish RA 2013 in, well, 2013. It won't come out as a real book until 2014 though.


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PF64,

I had the pleasure to meet most of the FGG staff at PaizoCon earlier this year (sorry you weren't there Chuck!) and you won't find another group of people who are more dedicated than this bunch.

As Chuck indicated, with a company at their size (and they are not the smallest out there) they don't make all that much money at this. In fact, when you see those really fancy rewards on KS, they lose money. However, they go through the work of releasing all of this because they are all gamers and love writing and sharing with all of us. And as Bill told me, because he likes to collect the books as well. :)

Dark Archive

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Bill Webb wrote:

I'll take all the heat for the bad communication on RA KS--its that "too many email accounts and server issues thing"; but I should have posted when we uploaded the last 2 of the RA sub.

I am working on the next level of ToT while this KS cooks--so should be able to finish RA 2013 in, well, 2013. It won't come out as a real book until 2014 though.

The Tunnels of Terror news is the best thing I have heard all day and today has been a very, very bad day.

I was on the edge about SoA (not due to quality or follow through, but my personal finances) but this bit of news has pushed me over.

Just offering my opinion on the issue - as a KS supporter/pre-orderer (?) for RA (+subs), Tsar and ToHC I would prefer to wait for a better thought-out product than something rushed through to meet a deadline.

Sometimes - and I think this applies to most creative endeavors - sometimes it's just better to wait.
Good communication is helpful while waiting, but I never thought for once that I was going to have to contact the Grandmaster of Assassins to hunt down the cultist and demon-god of FGG. Bill and Clark have good names in gaming and I like what both of them are doing post-NG. I was never was fearful that Bill was going to not follow through on a promise. Bill was also very patient with my order and DL issues (some caused by my browser choice and my impatience to get the files) which goes a long way to retaining me and getting me to support future projects.

Reminds me, I also need to throw some money at the Legendary Games Print book kickstarter.

TL;DR version- thanks for the update on ToT. I’m #205 in your KS for SoA.

Scarab Sages

Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:
...make no mistake, they are, in my opinion, the finest overall producer of RPG material in the business with the exception of Paizo itself.

+1


Tunnels of Terror?

Dark Archive

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RA sub install 1.

Excellent low level module/dungeon crawl and potential pathway to RA. Level 1D, AKA The Tunnels of Terror.

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