OSRIC (Old School Reference & Index Compilation) offers a free fantasy role playing game inspired by first edition Dungeons and Dragons. It’s not the first effort I’ve seen trying to recapture the magic of 1st edition, before the life was sucked out of it with the bloated later editions.
Role Playing Games
Farland Mass Combat System Program
The Farland Mass Combat System is designed to help role players resolve large scale conflicts. There’s also a great — and free — program to help you do so.
Executive Decision Presidential Decision Making Game
I recently played this semi-role playing game with my AP Political Science students and we all enjoyed it very much. In Executive Decision, the players each take on the role of a member of the president’s cabinet and try to promote their agenda as critical events unfold in real time. Highly recommended.
d20 Barsoom Variant
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom novels are among my favorite guilty pleasures. Sean K. Reynolds has a page with material, including monster and character profiles from his d20 Barsoon campaign.
Wendy’s Fantasy RPG
Wendy’s — yes, the fast food chain — has released an RPG free for the downloading: Feast of Legends. From the description:
You are adventurers in the realm of Beef ’s Keep, where the nations have been splintered over major disagreements in how to treat the realm’s people. Creepingvale and the United Clown Nations have led their people into a collective darkness known as The Deep Freeze. While the world currently feels like a cold and desolate place, you reside in the one nation that remains a true beacon of hope: Freshtovia.
Creepingvale has a creepy king with a paper crown …