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7/19/2026 11:23 am  #1


Why I Think Hyperborea's Adventures are Peak in the OSR

Just an observation after having been away from Hyperborea for a few years.  So I skipped the most recent adventures, but we had played everything up through Sea-Wolf's Daughter until the campaign ended with a near TPK (one PC survived only to later sacrifice himself in Tegel Manor).  I recently grabbed Vanishing Isles of the Summer King, Thousand Eyes of Thaumagorga, and Oblation Slab of the Hepatomancer and I'm thoroughly enjoying my read-throughs.  Good adventures, tied to the setting, but offering a fair amount of choice and DM freedom.  Excellent presentation and artwork.  Not too minimalist like OSE, but not too verbose, like DCC.  Quite dangerous but survivable.  And a free bookmark with every title ain't too shabby either.

On a related note, my homebrew mashup of Swords & Wizardry, Hyperborea, and Adventures Dark & Deep is coming together nicely.  I'm updating my gazetteer now, changing a few things and cleaning up inconsistencies from earlier versions.  Also actually typing it this time rather than writing it out by hand, so I can more easily make changes in the future.  The fact that I had Glynn Seal do my maps is sweet too, since Hyperborea is bolted on as my North Pole.


"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold?  Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side?  Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero.  But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
 

7/20/2026 5:11 am  #2


Re: Why I Think Hyperborea's Adventures are Peak in the OSR

Wow, do have a sample map of your setting? I also use Hyperborea as my North Pole, with the rest of the setting being antediluvian Earth (which, given the scant real-world remnants of, I have free rein).
And I'm very nearly done with my Hyperborea-S&W-Chainmail home-brew rules: I've used Lulu before for my table-copies, and it works out nicely.


"It is all very well to point out that the man lacks facility; as he asserts, sheer force can overpower sophistication."
Jack Vance, Rhialto the Marvellous
 

7/20/2026 4:04 pm  #3


Re: Why I Think Hyperborea's Adventures are Peak in the OSR

The maps don't include Hyperborea, but I can send them to you via dropbox as they're too big for a regular attachment.  Just PM me with a preferred email.


"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold?  Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side?  Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero.  But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
     Thread Starter
 

7/20/2026 4:06 pm  #4


Re: Why I Think Hyperborea's Adventures are Peak in the OSR

Oh and I did forget to mention one thing I don't like about the more recent adventures, which is that the monster stats are all at the end.  I prefer them in the main text.  Still better than just referring you to the core book, but a pet peeve nonetheless.


"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold?  Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side?  Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero.  But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
     Thread Starter
 

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