Gary's Appendix Issue 2 + PDF

Gary’s Appendix is a collective effort by a creative menagerie to create a memorable zine for fantasy gamers.

About the book:

This is a series of zines that explore the curious and fascinating parts of our beloved hobby in a way that is thought-provoking and useful. The inspiration for this zine is the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide. We draw inspiration from the past works of the gaming giants with no attempt to reproduce it. Gary's Appendix about our love for the past and our excitement for the future.

Gary's Appendix Issue 2 includes:

Bestiary

We explore ways to turn mundane creatures into memorable encounters by considering the lore, mythology and ecology.

This issue includes:

• Blink Dog
• Brigand
• Buccaneer
• Bugbear
• Caecilia
• Carcass Crawler
• Cats, Great
• Centaur

Articles

• The Language Tree – Do you find world languages difficult to implement in your fantasy games? Is the way we've done things for 50 years not working for you? It’s neither realistic nor useful for gameplay. This article provides a solution that is robust , quick to implement and easy to grasp. 
• Gamifying Devotion – Clerics, paladins, and monks are characterized by devotion to ideals. Typically, these ideals are broadly defined by alignment, but a more granular approach can flesh out your game’s world and give your players more ways to engage with the fiction you create at the table. This is where monastic orders come in.
• Flip The Scrip[t] –  At some point, gold pieces seem to lose their luster. The standard game monetary system of gold and/or credits can become one dimensional, designed for ease of use but often creating dead-end situations within a campaign. It’s time to “Flip the Scrip(t)” on the standard monetary systems. 
• Gary's Guidance – One of the most important books in gaming history is the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG). Gary’s knowledge and perspectives on the game was deeper  and more subtle than many gamers appreciate. This article is an overview of what Gary thought DMs needed to know, how he presented that information and thoughts about why those ideas are still relevant.
• Sage Mages – In issue #1 of Gary’s Appendix, we presented a deeper dive into the sage, an expert hireling and specialist found in the Advanced Player’s Tome and the 1st edition of the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide. Here, we delve even further, fleshing out the concept of a sage who has taken levels of magic- user. 
• Thoughtful Bestiary – A further exploration of the bestiary starting with the blink dog and ending with the Centaur. We dip into real world mythology, practical consideration and wild speculation about uses for these creatures. Also included are brigands, buccaneers, bugbears, caecilia, and carcass crawlers.

The Team:

Written by Jeffrey Jones, Andrew Tryon, Travis Miller, Zac Goins, Onslaught Six, Tim Sattley
Art by José “Chema” Gonzalez, Brian “Glad” Lewis, Perplexing Ruins, Dean Spencer, Amanda Lee Franck, Bertdrawsstuff

A5 staple saddle-stitched zine, 48 pages, black and white interior. Includes PDF