Roleplaying Games and Adventures I've written


Neoclassical Geek Revival 





 Fantastic Reviews!

This is possibly the best FRP I've read in decades, as much for what it simplifies as for what it enhances.

When playing the game quite a few things stand out to me as brilliant 

I love the look of the book and the feel of the paper. 

My opinion? Neoclassic Geek Revival is WIN! Buy a copy! 

Overall rating: 9½ out of 10 stars. 

[you] could definitely find worse ways to spend your money

I would definitely recommend NGR.

Its a Podcast!



Does that sound awesome?  If you want a copy, here is how!

 A physical hard cover:  Currently out of stock.

A PDF version:  Neoclassical Geek Revival is on sale with RPGNOW for a couple bucks CDN.
  BUY IT NOW!

Or,

Just shoot me an email and ask for a copy. If you are willing to agree to
1.) Not redistribute it,
2.) Not make a physical copy of it and most importantly
3.) Provide feedback on the game,  I can email you a PDF copy.


The Gnomes of Levnec




This is a small little adventure about Gnomes.  It is meant for low level characters and is written for  both Neoclassical Geek Revival and any OSR retroclone .   It chimes in at 20  pages and is chalk full of weirdness and dark comedy.

Scrap Princess of Monster Manual sewn from Pants wrote

"The Gnomes Of Levnec is a dank twisted little affair which I imagine will leave adventures some how feeling dirty no matter how they handle it. Well done sir, well done."

Gnome Stew wrote

"Good adventures about gnomes are rare, but this one by Zzarchov Kowolski checks both boxes. It's short, peculiar, and perfect for an old school D&D game; I'd happily drop it into a campaign with an evil smile on my face."

Gothridge Manor wrote

"First impressions...this is a adventure is disturbing and hilarious.  I got a lot of entertainment  reading it."

HeroPress wrote

"you will begin to fathom the warped genius of the module's writer."

Dreams in the Lich House wrote

"There were a few times I caught myself laughing during the read through, and immediately knew I'd slot this adventure into any upcoming low level campaign."

Tenkars Tavern wrote

"I smiled, I cringed, smiled some more and nearly did a dry heave (well, maybe not that far, but certainly more than a cringe)."

Take On Rules wrote

"a fantastic “so you are lost in the woods” table. Based on the map, and the awesomeness of the table, I would make sure that I roll on that table the first time they head into the woods. And at least one more time."

Frugal GM wrote

"The Gnomes of Levnec is a great little adventure that is worth getting to read, get a new table idea, or possibly screw with your players some. I think it is totally worth it, even at almost $6....which is saying a lot for me."


Bryce Lynch wrote

"I’m a fan of this though. I will sometimes say a product is pretty close to my cutoff line, either pro or con. Not this one."

Physical copies: Out of stock.

PDF: Available at RPGNow



A Thousand Dead Babies





This is an introductory adventure with rules for use in NGR or your favourite retroclone.  It is my go to starting adventure with a new group of players and was composed into a mini-adventure for the 2013 crowdfunding campaign as a reward to early backers.

It has since been released with amazing art,layout and cartography by the very talented Jez Gordon.

Available at RPGNow



"It is efficient, engagingly written, mechanically solid, and there's a sense of...anticipatory and ominous giggling?" - Playing D&D with Porn Stars

"This would also be a good module to use to introduce your non-D&D friends to D&D" - Goblin Punch


"The highest compliment I can give to any product is that I intend to use it in my own campaign...and I intend to find a cool little spot on a map for Corroc and wait for the day they players wander to that neck of the woods." - Gothridge Manor

"I can't wait to run it myself." - Dyson Logos

I love this thing. Simple. Short. Sticky.  - Bryce Lynch of TenFootPole.org

Scenic Dunnsmouth




This is an adventure about isolation, paranoia, body horror, moral peril and fabulous treasure.. or at least some of those things, or maybe none of those things.  One of the key aspects of "Scenic Dunnsmouth" is that reading the module spoils little of the game play, if any.  It is always a mystery, and always playing on paranoia.

Here are some fabulous reviews of the book!

"Scenic Dunnsmouth is great. Get it." - Cubic Dystopias

"Scenic Dunnsmouth is one of the best thought out and designed adventures I’ve seen this year."  -Diehard GameFAN

"I was completely gobsmacked by this module." "It's truly inspired work" - NerdWerds

"It's a curious offering." - Dreams of the Lich House

"If you have been waiting for someone to write a really creepy Village of Hommlet look no further." - Save vs. Total Party Kill

"it is a sandbox setting on the whole done right"  - The RPGPundit

it’s absolutely wonderful. - James Maliszewski at Black Gate

Scenic Dunnsmouth takes an interesting and divergent approach from a standard adventure. - Take On Rules

"I am talking out of character here - can you please stop scaring my girlfriend." - Ten Foot Polemic

" I cannot recommend Kowolski’s book enough; this book should be in every GM’s collection;" - Imaginary Enterprises

"This is a good supplement. A good village. I’ll almost certainly use it as a backdrop for some other adventure I’m running. But it’s not an adventure and I’ll always feel a little cheated when I look at it."  - Bryce Lynch of TenFootPole.org

Michael Curtis, author of Stonehell Dungeon, many DCC adventures, and of  the Society of Torch, Pole and Rope blog had this to say after a play test:

"I had a tremendous amount of fun during my ill-fated sojourn to Scenic Dunnsmouth. It's a cunning bait-and-switch of an adventure and fellow travelers should heed my warning: Whatever you think is going on, you're wrong."

Evan from the blog "In Places Deep" (or as he prefers it to be called as often as you can In Deep Places) had the following to say:
"It has [Spoilers!]"

..thanks Evan.

Greg Backus of TrollZine and Quiet day in Heimdall says:

The first time I was genuinely frightened in a RPG session. It was the first time that I actually thought that the best thing I could do for my character was to just high-tail it out of there and not look back (I mean this as a compliment, BTW)

Still not satisfied?  How about some quotes from people you don't know and probably never will?

Totally didn't give one player nightmares  - Ryan
I wanted to rinse my uterus with bleach pretty much immediately - Mel
A good time that will haunt your nightmares - Josh
Surreal, creepy, disturbing - Gerry


Wow?  Look at those comments from people who are barely above anonymous!

Still not convinced?

Did I mention its artwork is by Jez Gordon of Secret Santicore fame?


Available HERE!



Lamentations of the Gingerbread Princess




Sometimes you want to play an adventure where you can recapture that feeling of childlike innocence. And, sometimes, wishes do come true. 
LotFP presents more hard biting horror: Now with unicorns, gumdrops and rainbows!

"Candyland a la Texas Chainsaw Massacre" Save Vs. Poison

"This adventure is dark, weird, bizarre and quite wonderful, very old school and wacky."  Sea of Stars (contains spoilers)

¿Veredicto? por cuatro euros, hay que comprarlo.

"its a really wild ride to play in." - Swords and Stitchery

"So like, The Land of Milk & Honey is a strange and sensitive and familiar and sad set of adventure situations that simply weren't filled with enough "Cloud Djinn bestowing gifts on Battle-Sworn mortals against the Efreti-Filth located in the Southern gravity fields of Broklowe, etc." content to keep one of my players from punching me in the face. " - The Cuticle Chewer's & Well-Pisser's Fantasy Report

"had a blast running it and would happily run it again." - Final Thoughts of a Murdered Guard

Available HERE


Thulian Echoes



"When Titus sacked Jerusalem, it is said that during the chaos an enterprising sorcerer made off with a King's ransom in silver and disappeared to far off Thule. A century later an enterprising party of explorers made a failed bid to reclaim it.  Armed with their notes, are you able to succeed where they failed over a thousand years prior?"

Thulian Echoes is two adventures in one! In the first phase, players take the role of pregen characters exploring the dungeon long ago... their actions recorded, so that the players' actual characters can then follow in the footsteps of the previous characters and gain all the riches and magical secrets to be found!

Since they already will know what's in the dungeon, it'll be easy! Right? ... right...?


An adventure for use with LAMENTATIONS OF THE FLAME PRINCESS WEIRD FANTASY ROLEPLAYING and other old school adventure roleplaying games.


Thulian Echoes is a resounding "must have" - Take On Rules

this one is just too off-beat and clever not to spotlight. - Sean's pick of the day

Thulian Echoes doesn’t just provide a well-written adventure full of dangers and rewards accompanied by the always-excellent art of Kelvin Green; it does all that twice over, on the same map, without being predictable - Nerd Titan

snide and pompous - Diehard GameFAN

Thulian Echoes offers a finely wrought challenge both for the GM to run and the players to negotiate safely – twice. - Geek Native

Available HERE


Scourge of the Tikbalang!



Scourge of the Tikbalang is a horror adventure created for the OSR Cares package in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.  Anyone who donated to that charity can contact me to receive a complimentary copy of this adventure now that it has been redone with professional art and layout by Alex Mayo.

Note that this adventure is not currently part of any charity bundle.  Also note, look up what a Tikbalang is and be forewarned about the subject matter than can occur in this adventure.


No one writes adventures like this. - The Cuticle Chewer's & Well-Pisser's Fantasy Report

Available HERE


RAMPAGING MONSTERS!





Rampaging Monsters is an adventure toolkit designed for the utterly unprepared GM.  When you have no new hooks planned,  why not let a monster tear across the countryside?  As it trashes a few villages you can rest assured you've bought yourself another week.   Designed for use with Neoclassical Geek Revival.

Available HERE


HARK! A WIZARD!


You know what I find really tedious? Random NPC wizards and needing to generate a spell list for them, knowing there is better than even odds they will end up dead and looted within 2 rounds of their appearance.

Hark! A Wizard! Is a generator to give NPC wizards a cohesive set of spells in just a few seconds.  It is a useful tool for further lowering the prep required with a game of Neoclassical Geek Revival. Features some amazing art by the very talented Alex Mayo.

Available HERE

Under the Waterless Sea




Under the Waterless Sea is a Polynesian mini-setting and siege based adventure. 


Fictive Fantasies Wrote:

"There is very little art in the scenario, but somehow there are two pictures of the penis tower in addition to a vertical map of it." - Fictive Fantasies

Available HERE





The Trail of Stone and Sorrow


This is a small Pay-What-You-Want mini-adventure set in a sleepy alpine village.  Something has begun turning local wildlife to stone and the villagers are getting worried. They are also getting increasingly paranoid about a foreigner who settled in a nearby chalet.

Paul Baldowski wrote:
"Personally, I believe it warrants your support with a donation."

Available HERE



The Pale Lady



Deep in the woods, every woods, there seems to be a monstrous child stealing witch.

Every spring more and more children go missing never to return.

Two years ago one returned from his absence and is telling tales of vast riches, monstrous servitors, and the way back to her accursed domain.

An adventure for characters of levels, for use with LotFP Weird Fantasy Role-Playing and other similar systems.

"This adventure is sort of like stumbling upon a gem of dark 80's horror popping it into the VCR and coming away feeling like you've found another favorite horror flick as the screen is drenched in gore, guts, and intelligence." - Dark Corners of Role Playing

"This adventure is written in Zzarchov’s usually enjoyable writing style - brief, readable, just a hint of silliness, but with his usual “actually darker than you might think” treatment of subjects. It is admirably concise and the set up is interesting." - Blessings of the Dice Gods

"If you take a moment to reflect on things its pretty depressing!" - Final Thoughts of a Murdered Guard

Available HERE




The Gem Prison of Zardax



“Impudent Fools!
You dare oppose Zardax the Impressive?
Whoever you are, you are no match for my
diabolical prison of inescapable terror!
And seeing as you will surely perish in that
cursed place, I see no reason not to gloat about
my cunning plan...”
                                         — Zardax, repeatedly...

A puzzle based adventure for character levels 3-6

"after trying to think of different ways to make dungeons with interesting metapuzzles for year, the Gem Prison of Zardax created a set of tools that made it really easy to think up fun variants. So, yeah, recommended." - Playing D&D with Porn Stars

"So basically a great quick adventure that you can use for probably a single night with the recommended party level. " Quiet in the Dungeon

Available HERE



The Price of Evil

A Haunted House generator that ensures a unique haunted house to explore for the GM with no adventure and half an hour until game start.

Available HERE



The Temple of Lies

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/189628/The-Temple-of-Lies


A light hearted romp dealing with human sacrifice and crippling opium abuse.  Created as a promotional offering for the Bundle of Lamentations.

" It’s a nice little urban adventure".  - Bryce Lynch of TenFootPole.org

Available HERE


Adventuring Party




This is an old one,  its a really quick and simply "party game", ie, meant to play with children or people who don't game.  Very dated, but people still seem to like it.

Free Download Here


1 comment:

  1. Howdy Zach, I found your LotFP work extremely interesting and i also found that i have not all of them... could you pls write me a line so that i can send you an email with a couple of questions? My address is ab73.trieste(AT)gmail.com
    thanks a lot and best!
    axel

    ReplyDelete