Like many Gen Xers, I started playing role playing games in the early 80’s. In fact, it was 1982 when I got the Moldvay (Magenta Box). A neighbor had the Expert box and we spent hours playing with these introductory kits. He eventually got all the AD&D 1st Edition core rule books. Alas, I didn’t need the books, I just needed a friend who had the books! About a year later, my older brother moved back home and he had “everything” from his time in the Navy...original white box, all the Dragon magazines, minis, books, modules, you name it! When I say “everything”, I mean “EVERYTHING!”. This was a great time to be a teenager! 

 

I continued playing Moldvay Basic through AD&D 2nd Edition up until graduation from college in 1999. I DM’d my regular group for several years until graduating high school and I then joined the Air Force, where I have remained for over 30 years! Two years after graduating college, I was commissioned in the Air Force after nearly 9 years enlisted time. When September 11th occurred my life and career took a very different turn. As it turns out, I had put RPGs on the shelf for approximately 25 years before my spouse, Zie, re-sparked the interest in role playing games inside me. After watching Stranger Things (yep! common story!) she turned to me and said, “I’d like to play D&D sometime”. I said, “Well I still have a box of stuff upstairs!”. We cobbled together our first game with the Basic Rules, playing Keep on the Borderland with graph paper and an online dice roller! The funny thing about this story is that, after 6 moves and 6 different states together, she didn’t even know that this particular box of RPGs even existed! After several years of playing 5e, I realized I was more interested in that “old school feel” that I remembered and soon discovered Dungeon Crawl Classics. I haven’t looked back!

 

I am passionate about the Shudder Mountains Setting because it is based on Appalachian folklore. I grew up in the Pennsylvania portion of the Appalachian Mountains. I like to think I understand the people and the culture. I grew up when the coal mines were booming and then watched them go bust. While I moved away like many young people at the time and haven’t lived in Appalachia for nearly a quarter of a century it still has a strong hold on my heart and will return some day. After nearly 34 years in the Air Force and 25 years away from the hobby, I have received so much encouragement from many people close to me to finally “go for it” and write my adventure…and so that is exactly what I did.
~Judge Ike Meese

Jaxen aka JXN9000 has been playing at Judge Ike’s table basically since The Hungry Dragon opened in March of 2024. One night while playing deep in the backwoods of the Shudder Mountains, Judge Ike leaned over and noticed something on JXN9000’s character sheet…a perfect sketch. Now, Ike had no idea that JXN9000 was a professionally trained graphic artist that studyied at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, CA. He is also the creator of the comic project @FreakingComics on Instagram. After some discussions, they decided to work together on this current project. In fact, nearly every piece of art in this adventure was sketched out while sitting at the gaming table! Jaxen is a freelance illustrator and can be found on Linkedin (JXN9000) and Instagram (relaxenjaxen).

The focus of Death Guaranteed Games is actually on the freedom one gains from embracing the inevitability of death. Often, game play is more fun that way. This is one of our favorite parts of Dungeon Crawl Classics and the funnel session. Starting off playing multiple characters not knowing which, if any, will survive gives the game a bit of the old flavor when tabletop roleplaying games were new. We didn't survive every campaign then and rolling up new characters and carrying on was just how it went. We embraced the chaos!

We are a trio of lifelong RPG enthusiasts who all love DCC and the tabletop experience. We play in person at our FLGS (friendly local gaming store) and at local conventions. We do use online games to fill in the gaps, but our preference is for the shouts of excitement when the whole table sees the result of a risky roll. For triumph or epic death, we cheer just as loudly. 

As publishers, we each bring unique skills to the table. Although one works in brain surgery, one as a professor, and one as a data analyst, we converge in the creative process. Not one of our projects is a solo effort. We all invent, write, playtest, edit, commission art, and edit some more. In fact, our next project, The Discovery of the Doomweaver (part one in a series called,  Six Swords of Calisdoom) is being playtested and edited as this campaign goes live. We have big plans to bring exciting new experiences to the DCC community. 

We will work quickly once the campaign ends, while we await the funds to be sent (minus Backerkit's fees). Writing is 100% done, Editing is 85% done, and Layout has begun. We are printing, packing, shipping all ourselves. We are committed that order fulfillment meet or exceed expectations. We will send updates as we progress so you will know what to expect.

Once the campaign closes, we enter the pledge manager phase. The PDFs will go out as soon as the funds are transferred. Then we collect and confirm addresses for orders of physical copies so shipping can be calculated*. We offer a last chance for add-ons. And then we close, sent our print order, and prepare to ship.

Please reach out at [email protected] or through the Backerkit messaging with any questions or concerns!
~Judge CRO

*Shipping fees will be collected post-campaign in the Pledge Manager

What in tarnation was going on in Granny Jezzy’s long-forgotten root cellar? The hidden secrets that not even Mama Claire or Pappy Kythe ever knew or found. Head back up to the holler to find out!

Wait one golldurn minute! Something or someone is buried 'neath the Shrine to Nengal? You just might find out if'n we reach this stretch goal!