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Tenkar's Tavern

a blog about RPGs, the OSR, Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons, White Star, Swords & Wizardry, Kickstarters and Kickstarter Failures

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Why Open Tables Work So Well for Old-School Campaigns

It was suggested that I turn my YouTube transcripts into blog posts. Consider this an experiment for now - Tenkar If your campaign lives and dies by a group chat, you already know the problem. Three people can’t make it. Two more might be late. One player vanishes for a month. Before long, you’re either canceling again or running another awkward “who’s here tonight?” session that feels like it…

As Requested, a Retraction

On January 16th, 2026, Chris Stodgill posted a post regarding Ken Whitman. Ken has objected to the post in question on the grounds that, and I will quote: The article contains statements that falsely assert or imply that I have engaged in fraudulent or criminal conduct, including but not limited to referring to me as a “KickScammer” and stating that I may “scam people again.” In context, these…

B/X - Carousing For Your Campaign

The B/X Carousing Procedure FRONT (3x5) — B/X CAROUSING (HOUSE PROCEDURE) 1) SPEND (gold is gone): Light: 50 gp × level Standard: 100 gp × level Hard: 200 gp × level 2) INTENT (matters on high rolls): Rumors / Contacts / Heat Dump / Blow Off Steam 3) ROLL: 2d6 + CHA 4) BAND: 2–5 TROUBLE 6–8 MIXED 9–11 GOOD 12+ GREAT 5) BASE RUMORS (always, by spend): Light 1 / Standard 2 / Hard 3 TROUBLE (2–5):…

Factions in the OSR - Dungeons/Urban/Wilderness

Original Video: https://youtu.be/npZHmv9OeNU THE THREE QUESTIONS THAT BUILD A FACTION FAST Whenever you make a faction—dungeon or wilderness or city—ask three questions: What do they want? Not “what do they believe.” Not “their backstory.” What do they want this week? What do they have? Soldiers, gold, information, magic, a monster, a legal charter, the only clean well in town—something real. What…

Turn Your Hex Crawl Into a Real Game (Steal Dungeon Procedures)

Highlights from the named video: Watch Length Pick a watch length that matches the kind of game you want: • If you want it tight and gritty, use 2-hour watches. • If you want classic “cover ground but still feel pressure,” use 4-hour watches. • If you want it looser and faster, use half-day watches. The three travel modes Normal travel • standard movement • standard navigation • standard encounter…

February 2026 Livestream & Convention Schedule

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Transcript, Feb 3 - How to Run Illusions in a Dungeon (Without Gotchas)

Original Video: https://youtu.be/6ijRtEpQknk The transcript is lightly edited from an auto-generated one. Expect typos and worse ;) A viewer asked, how do you handle illusions in a dungeon, like a false wall or a false floor? And actually, I love that question because illusions can be brilliant, or they can turn your dungeon into a paranoid trap. Every stone slog where nobody trusts anything. So…

OSR Christmas - Check Your Emails

Emails are landing! Check your emails!

Transcript February 2nd - Committee Meetings Get You Killed (OSR Decision Paralysis Fixes)

Original Video: https://youtu.be/a3TtkSYi_zY Transcript is lightly edited. Expect typos and worse ;) This one comes straight from a viewer suggestion, and I'm actually glad it did, because decision paralysis is one of those table problems that can quietly kill a good RPG session. If you've ever sat there with a party staring at three doors, an intersection, a staircase, and a weird statue and…

Transcript Feb 1st - Turn Your Hex Crawl Into a Real Game (Steal Dungeon Procedures)

Original Video: https://youtu.be/QaU9IJMJ-ig Transcript is lightly edited. Expect typos and worse ;) A viewer recently asked if you can steal dungeon procedures and use them for a hex crawl. Simple answer is yes. And once you do, wilderness travel stops being that blurry. We walk for a while montage and starts producing real decisions. Again, because dungeon procedure isn't about doors and…