NOD is a gaming magazine for old school games that comes out whenever I find the time to do it. Each issue is centered around a wilderness hex crawl or city-state from the Land of Nod setting. In addition, there are articles on the Nod setting, new classes, new races, new monsters, magic items, mini-games, fun random tables and advice. Most articles are keyed towards the games I have written, including Blood & Treasure, Bloody Basic, Grit & Vigor, Mystery Men!, Pars Fortuna, Space Princess and the Quick and Easy series of games, but other open content games are sometimes covered and most material is broadly compatible with all old school games.
For those who wish to sample NOD before buying, you can check out the various blog posts that describe the setting and even download issue 1 and 6 for free. Other issues can be purchased at RPGNow.com, Drivethru.com, and Lulu.com. The full catalog is available at Lulu in digital and print formats.
NOD-DEX – a guide to in which issue classes, races, monsters and spells appeared. Could probably be more updated, but it should help if you’re looking for something in particular.
NOD GUIDE – The Nod guide is a project by Sandor Gebei to make lists of all the encounter areas in the Nod hexcrawls. The guide covers NOD 1 so far; you can download two versions, one in list format, the other in category format.
NOD Posts
NOD 1 Download
NOD 6 Download
NOD at Lulu.com
This page also serves as a repository for NOD maps. The process of printing these maps in grayscale often makes them difficult to read.
It bears mentioning that the hex maps were created using Inkwell Ideas excellent Hexographer. I use their Coat of Arms Visual Designer as well – all good stuff.
NOD 1 to 3: The Wyvern Coast
The Wyvern Coast hex crawl actually includes portions of the savannah of Pwenet and the desert of Nabu. The Wyvern Coast itself is a long chain of sun-baked hills and mountains.
CLICK HERE FOR WYVERN COAST MAP
NOD 4 to 7: Venatia
Venatia is a portion of the Europe-inspired portion of the setting. It includes the northern bit of the Nabu desert and the city-state of Ibis, the Golden Sea and the hills surrounding it, and the woods and mountains of Venatia proper.
NOD 8 to 10: Mu-Pan
Mu-Pan is the Asian-inspired setting within NOD. It covers jungles, icy mountains and steppes, and is home to the wondrous Jade Empress.
NOD 11 to 15: Hell
Yep – Hell, at least in the NOD setting. The “Hell crawls” are intended for really high level characters … because once you enter, the only way out is through Lucifer. Good luck!
CLICK HERE FOR HELL MAP (IT’S BIG!)
NOD 16 to 18: Kush
The rain forests of Kush and the savannahs of Pwenet are inspired by the rich myths and folklore of Africa … with a little vine-swinging jungle lord thrown in for good measure.
NOD 19 to 21: The Virgin Woode
The Virgin Woode is a hex crawl inspired by the British colonies in North America, pre-Revolutionary War. The adjacent Damnable Sea involves a re-awakened Atlantis bent on conquest of the air breathers.
CLICK HERE FOR VIRGIN WOODE MAP
NOD 22 to 24: Ende
Ende is a dusty plateau surrounded by lush savannah and jungles. It is inspired by India, and home to four great city-states ruled by naga queens. A great war between Law and Chaos is coming, and Ende is going to be the host.
NOD 25: Klarkash Mountains
The Klarkash Mountains are jagged peaks that divide the Olde Empire of Nomo from the quarrelsome kingdoms of Venatia. They are a maze of narrow valleys and subterranean vaults and tunnels, and home to many creatures of chaos.
NOD 26-27: Uflandia
The Klarkash Mountains are jagged peaks that divide the Olde Empire of Nomo from the quarrelsome kingdoms of Venatia. They are a maze of narrow valleys and subterranean vaults and tunnels, and home to many creatures of chaos.
NOD 28-29: Trollheims
The Trollheims are one small corner of Og, the wild and woolly lands of the noth. They are home to trolls, ogres, giants, the kingdoms of elemental humanoids and Azsor, the city state of mighty King Mogg!
NOD 31: Nomo
Nomo was once the greatest empire in the Motherlands, but the disappearance of its emperor has shaken it to its foundations. Now the nomads of the desert press in on them, and the people are in near rebellion. Sounds like just the thing for a bunch of murder-hobos with big dreams and even bigger swords.
NOD 32: Kisthenes
Kisthenes is home to a big batch of cantankerous city-states, ancient beyond memory, that are getting ready to unleash chaos on the world. After the Tiamat-worshipping Warudi nomads conquered the largest of the city-states, they began plotting to summon Tiamat itself into the material world. Now the others are getting in on the act, and there will be all heck to play if somebody doesn’t stop them.
CLICK HERE FOR THE KISTHENES MAP
NOD 33: Carnelian Coast
The Carnelian Coast fronts the wild hinterland of Cush. It is home to three great city-states: Zinj, Amayuludi and Zahir. Long have these city-states competed for honor, glory and power, and now that two are on the verge of an alliance, the third must do whatever it can to end the threat posed by their union.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CARNELIAN COAST MAP
NOD 34: Hyrcania
Hyrcania was the first of the human empires after the lizardmen and serpent men were forced into the darkness at the end of the diluvian age, and it has long enjoyed its position as a crossroads of many civilizations. The throne of Hyrcania is occupied – for now – by Padishah Shahryar. His recent descent into paranoia forced Ahuramazda to scatter throughout Hyrcania four imperial relics. Whoever finds these relics may claim the throne of an empire.
CLICK HERE FOR THE HYRCANIA MAP
NOD 35: Golden Coast
Just south of Hyrcania, on the shores of the Golden Sea, live a collection of cantakerous city-states grappling with a crisis. Slavers – mysterious and potent – have assaulted their shores and stolen away with their people. Where they come from, nobody knows. One morning a village is vibrant and alive, and the next the people have disappeared. Maybe a few wandering trouble-makers like your adventurers can get to the bottom of it and save the day.
CLICK HERE FOR THE GOLDEN COAST MAP
NOD 36: Yore
Just to the east of the Trollheims (NOD 28-29) is the fertile river valley of Yore, land of the halflings and their Mother Church. Division has come to the halfling church, and factions now fight to control the country. Is this an honest disagreement among honest men and women, or the plot of a sinister, unknown force. This issue also includes “Pen & Paper Soccer”, and thus a downloadable soccer field.
Land of Nod 
Is there some kind of big Nod bundle for those who want to get it all?
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When I get the past issues of NOD uploaded on rpgnow, I will create a bundle (when I figure out how to make bundles, of course). Fair warning, though – it will take me a while to get them up there. I have lots of other irons in the fire at the moment, mostly outside of gaming.
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Just noticed that save for the last three maps none of the links seem to work.
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They should be fixed now.
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any update on that NOD bundle?
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any update on that NOD bundle? Just discovered NOD and B&T and i am really digging it
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Still pondering what I want to do with old issues in terms of bundling on rpgnow.com. I could just take them “as is” and drop them on – nothing wrong with that. BUT … I've also considered updating them (in terms of layout, editing, etc) and turning them into something more akin to the old Gazetteers for D&D. I could commission new artwork this way and make them better products.
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