Dusting off the cobwebs *koff koff*

Yeah... long time, no blog. I honestly have an excuse! I'm on a university course as well as a work placement connected to same, and the workload for this has meant that other writing has fallen by the wayside, even the meager amount that I normally muster for this blog. Hobby-wise, I'm wading into 40K; I have a copy of Dark Vengeance on reserve (the Chaos minis are the best that the Eye of Terror has seen for 20 years or so, the Dark Angels... hmmm...), 700 points of Dark Eldar are in various stages of construction/painting and I have loads of cardboard and Pringles tubes for terrain making (I have the classic GW book- gawd bless ebay!)

Razorwing - first 'unit' of the evil space elves finished.

In terms of RPGs, I haven't really done very much, having dropped the PbP I was running rather unceremoniously (sorry guys), and I haven't done anything in RL. I'd love to do some Flailsnails but I just don't have the time - I don't really know how people with kids are able to do it! Kyrinn of URUTSK fame has graciously involved me in a PbP in her unique and intriguing world, and that's been a fun experience. Let's see what 2013 brings...

Brain Collectors - Predacious Scholar, Scholastic Predator

Abaldo staggered away in horror as the immense bulk of the abomination became clear, skittering towards him slowly on crab-like legs. Its unblinking eyes regarded him as one might regard an insect on a pin as tentacles around its face writhed and strange mounds on its body pulsated. To the swordsman's amazement, he heard a voice, or more precisely a chorus of differently pitched voices speaking as one, "Cease thy confusion, small one, this body seeks knowledge. Before thou dost become one with us, utter thy emotional state. 'Tis for the purposes of research."


Brain-collectors is what they have been dubbed by the adventurous souls who have encountered them and lived, and by the more down-to-earth scholars. In their own language (utterly untranslateable) they are neh-thalggu.

Research and experience has shown that the personality (if it can be called that) of a collector seems to vary with each telling. Some survivors describe them as ravenous beasts, desperate for cranial sustenance, whereas some texts speak of them in terms that depict them more as explorers and investigators, a perverse mirror perhaps for the human adventurers they encounter.

It has been theorised that the more bestial specimens are juveniles, whereas the more erudite are elder individuals. The truth is unknown.

Into the Odd stats

STR 20 , DEX 16, WIL 19, hp 5d6+10, Armour 1

Attacks for 2d6 damage.

Brain-collectors have a terrifying power; they are able to use the brains they hold as Arcana. Each brain grants the neh-thalggu a random Arcana power of no greater level than the number of brains plus 10.

[Barbarians of Lemuria] Vandis the Huntsman

Do you want an rpg that just sweats swords and sorcery from its very pores?


Do you want an rpg wherein you actually feel like the main character in one of those tales?


Barbarians of Lemuria, baby. Every time.


What riches shall we uncover? First Attributes, four of 'em. I get 4 points to distribute between them. I'll go for the barbaric warrior methinks but with a dash of quickness and smarts a la REH Conan. He comes from the northern climes of Valgard and is a warrior who is best at the offensive rather defensive tactics. As a Valgardian he gets to pick from a list of traits.

Vandis the Huntsman

Origin: Valgard

Attributes: Strength 2; Agility 1; Mind 1; Appeal 0
Combat: Brawl 1; Melee 2; Ranged 1; Defense 0
Careers: Barbarian 2; Blacksmith 0; Hunter 1; Thief 1
Lifeblood 12; Hero Points 3; Armour 2
Traits: Valgardian Blade, Snow Tracker
Flaws: Illiterate
Equipment: Valgardian Long sword (Damage D6+2, use an extra die), Dagger (Damage D3), Hand Axe (Damage D6), Boots (1 Armour), Greaves (1 Armour) 

 Languages – Spoken: Lemurian and Valgardish
Languages – Written: N/A (Illiterate)

Cittarovina - the City of Ruins

Background
Cittarovina, the City of Ruins draws artists, intellectuals, and fortune-seekers like gulls to trash. The relatively recent return of the Pontifex to the ancient seat of the Church of the Unconquered Sun has further spurred the opportunistic to flock to this most vibrant of cities.

The various noble families are involved in political and personal intrigues (although the lines get blurred), and their various underlings are often the game pieces. More and more, these powerful men and women are becoming interested in the treasures that can be unearthed from the ruins of the ancient pagan empire. Previously, such artifacts were regarded as wonderful art to be displayed or studied for its aesthetic value, but in recent years, this study has turned to the unexpected (and inexplicable) power that can be unleashed from these items, or "Arcana" as some scholars have dubbed them.

So, now, the race is on to uncover the lost treasures of the gods...

The Rules

We'll be using Into the Odd (from the blog http://soogagames.blogspot.com/)

Everything is as the rules, and if you start with an Arcanum I will generate it.

Although the game is FLAILSNAILS, all characters will be native to begin with. Cittarovina uses Italianate naming conventions, so please bear this in mind.

If you'd like to play, drop me a line.

GM Questionnaire - Answers for Zak

GM Questionnaire

1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?

Turning Keep on the Shadowfell into a generational soap opera

2. When was the last time you GMed?

August 2011

3. When was the last time you played?

Yesterday

4. Give us a one-sentence pitch for an adventure you haven't run but would like to.

The adventurers engage in an ornithopter battle as Atlantis crumbles

5. What do you do while you wait for players to do things?

Look stony faced, or hum merrily in an innocent fashion

6. What, if anything, do you eat while you play?

Pizza, crisps, sausages, sweets, chocolate

7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?

Sometimes.

8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?

Romancin' the Queen of the Shadow Fey

9. Do your players take your serious setting and make it unserious? Vice versa? Neither?

I gave up on running 100% serious a while ago...

10. What do you do with goblins?

Cockernies, luv a duck.

11. What was the last non-RPG thing you saw that you converted into game material (background, setting, trap, etc.)?

The most common thing is people's voices for NPCs

12. What's the funniest table moment you can remember right now?

The intrepid macho adventurers charging into a broom-cupboard

13. What was the last game book you looked at--aside from things you referenced in a game--why were you looking at it?

d20 Fading Suns. It's great setting and I might try it in True20

14. Who's your idea of the perfect RPG illustrator?

Brom.

15. Does your game ever make your players genuinely afraid?

Not scared, but concerned for their characters - all the time.

16. What was the best time you ever had running an adventure you didn't write? (If ever)

The Freeport Trilogy

17. What would be the ideal physical set up to run a game in?

A large farm house with easy kitchen access

18. If you had to think of the two most disparate games or game products that you like what would they be?

Elric! and Dogs in the Vineyard (sorry Zak)

19. If you had to think of the most disparate influences overall on your game, what would they be?

Final Fantasy VII and the Carry On films

20. As a GM, what kind of player do you want at your table?

Intelligent, willing to engage

21. What's a real life experience you've translated into game terms?

Living in Devon

22. Is there an RPG product that you wish existed but doesn't?

A Legend/MRQ2/RQ6 version of Griffin Mountain

23. Is there anyone you know who you talk about RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?

My wife - she hasn't played for a while. My brother - the same. They're still interested though.

A Character for Every Game

Inspired by the prolific gaming god that is Dyson Logos, I'm going to have a go at creating a character for every game I own. It's one way to get some use out of them...

Ninja - Kitsune & Kensei

Here she is, that most maligned of Asian archetypes/stereotypes, the ninja. She mixes bits of thief and assassin with acrobat, and was incredibly powerful, by Zeb's own admission, in the original OA. I've cut some abilities, as I still want thieves and assassins to be viable 'ninja'. The ninja character class represents one who has taken a mystical approach to the art of stealth.

At the moment I only have notes, so I will present these rather than a full write-up like the other classes (especially as I am working on compiling them).

Ninja

Reqs: 14 Dex, 15 Int, 14 Cha

1d4 hp

No Prime Requisite

Use any armour and weapon. Penalties to thief skills for wearing metal armour.

Combat and saves as Thief

Thief Skills
Move Silently

Hide in Shadows

Climb Walls

Backstab

Assassin Skills

Disguise

Assassinate

Unique Skills

Escape

Fall

Pole Vault

Tightrope 

Level based abilities

1st Level - Hold Breath

5th Level - Walk on Water

12th Level - Walk through Walls

Reversion Recursion

Zeb, you mad genius. What have you wrought? On re-examination of the xp tables for the various classes, I find I like them much more than my prior suggestions of "samurai use the paladin table". The dynamics of how the different classes progress is interesting and a subtle part of how he game works. Ninja, as an example need an incredible amount of xp to progress (more than twice as much as some classes). I think in that one case I may re-examine the xp cost. Likewise the bushi has a weird progression whereby they progress faster than fighters until 8th level but then slow down greatly until they fall a level behind. Odd. Not sure what to do with that one given the bushi "freak out" power. Something to ponder. So, sorry for lack of updates, but I have been reading and thinking lots!

Rise up, you Dead, Slain of the Hydra!

Rise from your graves and avenge us!

Evil High Priest Kutalik calls forth the Children of the Hydra

Hail the Hydra Creative Co-op!

The restless creatives arise...

Unearthed Hexmap

I recently (well, 6 months ago) brought up about half of my RPG stash from my parents to our house. Amongst the haul was the World Builder's Guidebook by Richard Baker (TSR 1996), which as the name suggests takes one through the process of creating a campaign mileu (as Gygax might say). The book comes with a thick pad of blank hex maps and grids: in this I discovered a map I drew up for part of a forest world setting (I seem to recall the basic set up was elves vs forest linnorms or something). I noted that each hex was 1 mile, and I have no idea if any of this is geographically feasible. I enjoyed drawing it all the same. Does this seem as though it could work?

November 4, 2011

(Click to embiggen, hmm ok, not by much)

The Nine Men of Muriz

There are places where the Church does not hold sway, places where the missionaries never got the faith of Cooshboth to take root, or where the ancient powers have reclaimed the hearts of men. Such a place is the ring of standing stones known as the Nine Men of Muriz.

Who or what 'Muriz' is or was is unknown, despite various enquiries and folk etymologies. Suffice it to say it is a site of clear antiquity; references to it can be found as early as the first settlement by the Cristarubrae (who attributed the stones to the work of giants). Even then the stones were rightly reckoned to be ancient. In the words of Implicitus, "the great circle of stones is a mystery, even to the tribesmen here, who hold them to be a sacred place."

The nine megaliths are each 10 feet high and 4 feet wide; they are irregularly shaped pillars arranged in a circle, but (unlike some similar configurations) not aligned to any discernible celestial phenomena. Although they bear no resemblance to humans (or indeed any living form), most observers agree that the stones seem to possess a palpable aura, that is to say a feeling of malign intelligence. Residents of the nearby village of Muriz (named after the stones, not the other way around) will politely dissuade any visitors of such notions, "Tha's nobbut a numpty" they'll say with a convivial laugh, displaying the Mikelmercken forthrightness, "Merry meetings."

No matter who one converses with in the village, all will provide the same greeting and farewell - "Merry meetings".

This is not a normal thing to say.

For your D&D (and similar) game

In game terms, the entire megalith site will radiate as "evil" with Detect Evil, but the villagers themselves will not. The megalith site is also highly magical, being of great intensity; any caster using Detect Magic on the site will be dazzled by the brightness of the stones and the area encompassed by the circle, as well as being subject to a random insanity (although if you want to be less gonzo and more moody, inform the player that their ultimate loyalty is now to the stones and the village).

The stones are a focal point for the power of the earth, and allow the "grand receptor", the leader of the community's devotion to the stone circle, (currently a 6' 4" man of middle years and a gravelly voice called Yan Cooshbothsen [Cleric 10], who can cast Stone Tell at will) to use the following powers within the circle: Earthquake (1/day - the next day no damage will have been caused to the area and all is as if the spell had never been cast), Mass Charm (2/day), Conjure Earth Elemental (1/month)

The arrival of a group of strangers (like your PCs) will prompt the village to adopt a visage of utter normality, despite the fact that over time a few of them (5% chance) have been transformed into a stony form that radiates the same unease as the Nine Men themselves (treat as Stone Golems). Their guise of normality can be adopted or discarded at will, but at times of stress the facade may drop. Over the next few days, Yan will invite them to dine at his grand home, which offers hints as to the antiquity of the community's worship of the megaliths via tapestries, paintings and journal entries. Most of these clues will be hidden in some way in the form of symbolism in the work (spiral designs, images of robed figures processing etc). The Nine Men will begin to figure in the dreams of the PCs, silent and ominous. If the PCs do nothing over the course of this, they will eventually begin to feel drawn to the circle, where the village are gathered. Yan will greet them, welcoming them to their new family:

"MERRY MEETINGS!"

Books for sale

You lucky, lucky people, you get first dibs on the books I'm selling to make way for Runequest: Land of Ninja (GW edition). Much as I love the following rpg tomes, I will in all likelihood never use them. All are in excellent, nearly new condition. I'll consider sensible offers and will post to non-UK addresses.


Rogue Mistress (Stormbringer campaign)

Nyambe - African Adventures (d20)

Dire Spirits (Nyambe adventure) (d20)

And one non-RPG book:

Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd

Sohei Spell Progression

With apologies for the delay... a most exciting table.




Sohei Spells by Level

Sohei		Spell Level
Level	1	2	3	4
1-6	-	-	-	-
7	1	-	-	-
8	1	1	-	-
9	2	1	-	-
10	2	2	-	-
11	2	2	1	-
12	3	2	1	-
13	3	2	2	-
14	3	3	2	-
15	3	3	3	-
16	3	3	3	1
17	3	3	3	2
18	4	3	3	2
19	4	4	3	3
20	4	4	4	3

Kensei - Labyrinth Lord

The kensei had a bonkers original write-up, including a completely unique method of calculating the kensei's AC. I've eliminated abilities that have no easy applicability to Labyrinth Lord.

Kensei

Requirements: Str 12, Dex 14, Wis 12

Prime Requisite: Wis, Dex

Hit Dice: 1d8

The kensei is a master with one particular weapon (usually a sword, from the translation “sword saint”). Such a warrior has made it his or her objective to attain oneness of thought and action as well as attain moral purity.

Kensei cannot wear any kind of armor nor can they use shields. They are able to use any weapon, and must choose one weapon e.g. longsword to be their chosen weapon. The kensei gains certain bonuses (see below) when using his or her chosen weapon. Kensei use the Paladin Experience Table, Saving Throw Table and attack values. Kensei must be of Lawful alignment. Should a Kensei become Neutral or Chaotic, he or she ceases to advance in this class and advances henceforth as a Fighter (in this case the Kensei powers gained will not be accessible when wearing armor).

The Kensei receives a bonus of -2 to AC (in addition to Dexterity modifiers). His or her AC continues to improve by -1 at every 3^rd Level (hence -1 at 3^rd Level. -2 at 6^th Level etc.) with a limit of -5 at 15^th Level.

Kensei are immune to fear and receive a +1 bonus to all saving throws.

Once per day per level, the Kensei can focus his or her ki to cause maximum damage on a successful hit with his or her chosen weapon. The intention to use this ability must be announced before the to hit roll is made.

The intense dedication required of the Kensei's path places certain restrictions upon them:

• Kensei avoid using magical weapons, as they wish to master their art without such aids. If a Kensei uses a magical weapon, the weapon's power eliminates any bonuses to hit or damage gained from the class (thus a 5^th Level Kensei using a longsword +1 would add +1 to his or her attack and damage rolls, not +2).
• Kensei cannot benefit from items that alter the character's natural AC (such as magical bracers). If a Kensei wears such an item, it has no effect on his or her AC.
• The Kensei must practice for at least 2 hours per day. If a training session is missed, the Kensei must make up for any missed sessions before advancing to the next experience level. Thus, if a Kensei misses 1 day of practice, he or she must add a further 2 hours to a practice session before advancing. A Kensei can only practice for a maximum of 4 hours a day.

Reaching 2^nd Level – The Kensei gains a +1 bonus to damage rolls with the chosen weapon. This increases by an additional +1 at 5^th, 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th Levels to a maximum of +5.

Reaching 3^rd Level – The Kensei gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls with the chosen weapon. This increases by an additional +1 at 5^th, 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th Levels to a maximum of +5. Note that this ability allows the Kensei to hit monsters that can only be hit by weapons of the specific plus needed (e.g. a gargoyle can be hit by a 3^rd Level Kensei).

Reaching 4^th Level – The Kensei can now meditate (as per the Shugenja ability).

Reaching 6^th Level – The Kensei is now only surprised on a roll of 1. His or her allies are surprised as per normal (barring any special abilities).

Reaching 7^th Level – The Kensei can cause fear (as per the Samurai ability)

Reaching 9^th Level – 1d6 pupils (all 1^st Level Kensei) are attracted by the Kensei's growing reputation. The pupils serve and study with their new master, and all have the same chosen weapon as him or her. There is a 5% chance per Level that the pupils gain that each will leave to pursue his or her own studies. Should the Kensei character be defeated in a duel, then there is a 50% chance per pupil that each will leave his or her service.

Reaching11^th Level – The most famous and deadly ability of the Kensei is the Whirlwind Attack. This is another use of the Kensei's ki, and the character cannot have used any other ki powers that day. Using this power also prevents any further uses of ki powers for the next 24 hours. The Whirlwind Attack can only be made with the Kensei's chosen weapon. Using this power allows the Kensei to attack all opponents within 10 feet of him or her. This happens regardless of the number of attacks the Kensei could normally make. These attacks must all be made at the same time (i.e. the character cannot make some attacks, allow another PC to take a turn and then make further attacks).

Mikelmerck - a North that never was

For the genesis of Mikelmerck see Drama, Dice and Damsons. Rosey and I have batted ideas back and forth about this setting for old school gaming for a little bit. It would be a good setting for Lamentations of the Flame Princess, or (with some adjustment) Small but Vicious Dog. We envisage that PCs are the kind of loveable losers that 3d6 in order produces, and the setting sort of wrote itself. PCs are oddballs, fortune-hunters, ne're-do-wells and rogues. If not then they are stupid and rich (and those ones are usually clerics).

Mikelmerck

The "Great Marchland" as its name translates to (not "The March of St Mikela", as some effete southern scholars would have it) is often given such appellations as "True North" and "God's Own Duchy". The latter, incidentally, is where the confusion with St Mikela crept in; as theologians will know, this feminine spirit is the Voice of the Head, and thus misguided schoolmasters Down South thought they were very clever to link this to Mikelmerck's nickname. The real root of it is that Cushboth Himself would be at home in this paradise on earth, if he didn't like it, then stuff 'im.

Much as people take pride in this godliness, there are still rites to the ancient powers of earth, some of which have no name bar a title, powers such as the Nine Men of Muriz, and the Drowned Ones of Sevenwaters. As well as these, Mikelmerck has the dubious honour of being a place of dimensional 'thin-ness' - the barriers between otherworldly realms are weak here, and many tales are told of kinsfolk vanishing and reappearing years later, stark mad. The folk rites of the common populace (so scorned by the gentry) are designed to act as seals against these incursions from the realms of the Fey.

For humanity, this would be nothing short of a living nightmare, the very touch of a Fey Lord is enough to warp the body or chain the spirit. Their presence alone would begin to turn this world into another version of theirs, one of constant change and mad whimsy. Fortunately for most people this remains undreamt of as they retain only enough of the ancient prohibitions to enact them, not understand their real purpose. For those few magicians who know the truth, each new piece of knowledge is like the opening of a small leygate into their brain, leading most to be somewhat touched.

Sohei - Labyrinth Lord

I haven't done much with the Sohei, bar a smidgen of historical background (social class), and allowing them to use any weapon (my sohei in Ruins and Ronin was deadly with her shuriken). I've lessened the potential number of sohei troops as it would be a logistical nightmare to deal with 100 sohei all going ape. As usual, I've just tightened the writing in places. Have fun! Oh and I need to add their spell progression... Tomorrow. Honest.

Sohei

Requirements: Str 13, Con 10, Wis 10

Prime Requisite: Str, Wis

Hit Dice: 1d6

Sohei are warrior monks, defenders of temples and monasteries, trained more in the ways of war but with basic religious instruction. Sohei are often members of the warrior class who have some form of physical handicap or have suffered an accident (such as being thrown from a horse) that has left them less able than before. The temple gives them training and a renewed social status.

Sohei can wear any kind of armor but cannot use shields. They are able to use any weapon, but the polearm (naginata) is their traditional weapon. Sohei use the Cleric Experience Table, the Cleric Saving Throw Table and Cleric attack values. Sohei cannot be of Chaotic alignment.

Reaching 3^rd Level – The Sohei learns to focus his or her ki to attain a state of berserk energy in combat. This frenzy lasts for 10 rounds, and can be activated once per day. While in this state, the sohei gains 1 extra attack per round, his or her AC improves by 1, his or her movement increases by, and he or she gains +1 to hit, damage rolls, and saving throws. Furthermore he or she is able to dodge missiles with a successful save vs breath attack.

Reaching 5^th Level – The Sohei can fight beyond 0hp, gaining +2 to hit and damage, until he reaches -10hp or the enemy is killed (whichever comes first). Once either of these conditions is fulfilled the sohei falls down dead. This is one of the greatest acts a sohei can perform, and much (posthumous) honour is given to one who dies in this manner.

Reaching 6^th Level – The Sohei is given command of 1d3x10 1^st level sohei. More 1^st level sohei are available from his or her parent monastery to replace those who perish. At each level after 6^th, the command is increased by a further 1d10 1^st level sohei. None of these sohei gain levels.

Reaching 9^th Level – The parent monastery of the Sohei gives him or her commission to found a new daughter temple. This includes escorting shugenja and monks to the site, clearing the land, building the temple, and overseeing defenses. The Sohei character becomes the commander of the new monastery's sohei, and can try to recruit more in addition to those he normally gains at each level. The Sohei and his forces are still answerable to the parent monastery.

Like shugenja, sohei must abide by certain religious restrictions, although the sohei's are less strict. The sohei must refrain from:

• Eating meat (fish is allowed)
• Excesses of behaviour (drunkenness, gluttony etc)
• Murder

Nerd-Rage of the Rakasta

Just to get it out of the way, I'm talking about these guys:

Mystaran cat-dude chillin'

NOT these guys:

Evil tiger-spirit in the Temple of Doom

The rakasta first appeared riding their sabre tooth cats in X1 The Isle of Dread, and have become one of those breakout hits of D&D (albeit in a niche manner). They went on to get their own moon kingdom (Japanese inspired) orbiting the world of Mystara (the Known World and Hollow World of BECMI), as well as a kingdom on the Savage Coast (a Merrie Olde England parody). They have gone from B/X to BECMI to AD&D 2E and still have many fans online. Why am I going on about them?

Polyhedron 101. Roger E. Moore wrote a short article brainstorming an OA campaign set on the rakasta moon of Myoshima. It was a really fun thought experiment and although some people despise anthropomorphic animal characters, I think they can be interesting if done well.

Can I get the rakasta (or some very similar being with a name change) into my work on "OA for LL"? Just maybe.

I knew it must exist somewhere

Now I find this? Sounds good too.

Classes of the Far East

Is there a need for me to do this work? With this and Red Tide, I could be sorted. I guess I had better buy them. :D

EDIT: Just thinking out loud. I shall continue, as there are many classes that are not covered in either book.

"Oriental Adventures" for Labyrinth Lord

Just a status update to let interested parties know where I am with this project. I've scribbled down my notes for the sohei and kensei, and have had some more thoughts on things to alter or add to a potential Labyrinth Lord supplement, to whit:

Removing fox and racoon-dog from the hengeyokai and having them as either race-as-class under their correct designations of kitsune and tanuki, or shunting them to being monsters.

Finishing off the class conversions - except yakuza, as noted before. Maybe write up some outlines of how characters can fit into a yakuza or ninja clan.

Type up shugenja and sohei spell lists.

Convert spells not in AEC. My hope is that I can find them or equivalents in OSRIC or another clone.

Creating a setting outline... The urge to hexmap is strong in this one...

Putting weapons and armour notes into legible format.

House rule suggestions - rules "fixes" and genre emulation.

So, not much then!

What would be great is if any of you helpful readers had name suggestions for such a supplement. If so, please comment, thank you!

Towards an OA Retro-clone

The stars are right... all the omens are propitious...

Jagatai at Ramblings of a Great Khan is proposing an OA retro-clone for OSRIC, and Lord Gwydion  at What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse is putting the final touches on a clone of Chris Pramas' 2E-inspired game Dragon Fist. I've started doing ports of the OA classes and races to Labyrinth Lord. As can be seen the swell of Asian fantasy is building both in OSR and 'new-school' circles. To break it down with the current products and their parent games:

Ruins & Ronin (Swords and Wizardry) - Mike D (Sword +1) created the high-water mark of recent D&D oriental shenanigans with this excellent work. If you can't tell, I love this book. The inexhaustible imagination of Matt at THE LAND OF NOD has created Mu-Pan, a sandbox setting encompassing folklore, myth, pop fiction and game lore for Ruins & Ronin. Both have produced amazing, inspiring work.

Red Tide (Labyrinth Lord) - Another Asian sandbox with elements of horror and culture clash built in. I don't have this book, but everything I hear about it screams "buy me!" and its by Kevin Crawford, author of Stars Without Number. Nuff said. It introduces new races and classes

Jade Regent Adventure Path (Pathfinder) -  I have mixed feelings about Paizo as a company and of their products, but I applaud their re-introduction of Asian tropes into 3.x gaming. Wayne Reynolds art - another thumbs up.

Heroes of the Jade Oath (Arcana Evolved) - This has been in development for several years, and I don't know much about how transferable its ideas are, but there are free previews of it to download at RPGNow, and DriveThruRPG.

So, there's lots out there right now that caters to the desire to break out of Western Europe and get down with the samurai and the wu jen (these are all quite Chinese and Japanese inspired, but I pass no judgement on that).

Regarding what there is for OSRIC, a key work if someone were to embark on OA for OSRIC would be this OSRIC Unearthed. It has conversions for martial arts, the ninja, the yamabushi (new take on the monk), and the barbarian. I think that it should be the first port of call for someone looking to write/play/run OSRIC OA.

What would I want in an OA retro-clone? That's for another post!