'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas LIVE - Part 5!

Ken left us on a cliffhanger last time, at the start of the climactic battle at the end of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas. There may not be much of the adventure left, but be sure to checkout You Decide! Part 5: ‘Twas the Krampus Night Before Christmas by Jonathan Green tomorrow, from 7:00pm.

'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas LIVE - Part 4!

It may not be Christmastide anymore, it may not even be New Year, but this evening, from 7:00pm GMT on Facebook, Ken Boyter, of The Bottled Imp Fellowship and Mythical Tales from Edra, will be undertaking his final live readthrough of my festive ACE Gamebook, 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas.

Will he make it to the end? You'll just have to tune in tonight to find out.

If you haven't managed to pick up a copy of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas yet, you can do so here, ready for next Christmas, which is only 347 days away, so don't delay!

A Winter Solstice Selection

Having been a published author since 1993, over the years I have written numerous short stories, books and games that have a strong connection to Christmas. Just check out these if you're interested...

Scrooge & Marley (Deceased): The Haunted Man

A sequel to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas

A festive ACE Gamebook inspired by the legends and folklore of Yuletide.

'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas

A rules-lite festive RPG that's fun for all the family.

Christmas Past

A Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia short story set at Christmas time.

(Published as part of Pax Britannia: Human Nature)

Christmas Explained

Everything you ever wanted to know about Christmas but were afraid to ask.

Christmas Miscellany

The US edition of What is Myrrh Anyway? which was the precursor to Christmas Explained.

Journey of the Magi

A Warhammer 40,000K short story in which three wise men follow a star.

Happy Yule!

'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas LIVE - Part 3!

Today is the Winter Solstice, and so it seems particularly appropriate that this evening, from 7:00pm GMT on Facebook, Ken Boyter of The Bottled Imp Fellowship will be undertaking his live readthrough of my festive ACE Gamebook, 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas.

Will he make it to the end? You'll just have to tune in tonight to find out.

If you haven't managed to pick up a copy of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas yet - you can do so here.

In other Krampus-related news, the fourth part of Talking About Games' review of 'TWAS the RPG is now live on YouTube.

'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas LIVE - Part 2!

This evening, from 7:00pm GMT on Facebook, Ken Boyter of The Bottled Imp Fellowship will be continuing his live readthrough of my festive ACE Gamebook, 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas.

If you haven't managed to pick up a copy of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas yet - you can do so here.

'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas LIVE - Part 1!

This evening, from 7:00pm GMT on Facebook, Ken Boyter of The Bottled Imp Fellowship will be kicking off another live readthrough of one of my ACE Gamebooks, this time, the seasonally appropriate, 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas.

Don't worry if you haven't managed to pick up a copy of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas yet - you can do so here.

Gamebook Friday: ACE Gamebooks at Dragonmeet 2021

Thanks to the COVID pandemic, there was no Dragonmeet last year, but London's most vibrant tabletop gaming convention is back with a vengeance for 2021.

Dragonmeet 2021 is taking place at the Novotel Hammersmith on Saturday 4th December 2021. The Gaming Hall will be open from 9:00am - 11:30pm, while the Trade Hall will be open from 10:00am - 6:00pm.

ACE Gamebooks will be there, in the Trade Hall, with copies of 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game and
Dracula - Curse of the Vampire. So, if you're going to be there, make sure you stop by and say hello.

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 12: Merry Christmas!

I would just like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and here's hoping for a better 2021!

And if you do happen to receive a copy of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas today, or have a chance to run a session of 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas, do let me know, either here, or via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

And please leave a review as well, on DriveThruRPG, or Amazon, or anywhere else for that matter.

Happy Christmas!

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 11: 'TWAS the Soundtrack Before Christmas

What could be better than reading through 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas, or taking part in a session of 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas, than doing so with a soundtrack of appropriate tracks playing in the background?

And for that reason, I have created a 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas Playlist on Spotify.

The order of the tracks effectively follows the order of events in the game, from the exploration of the house at the beginning, followed by the frantic sleigh ride, to the trek through the wintry wilderness, with a stop off at the Snow Queen's castle, and finally the arrival of Santa's workshop and the demonic ritual right at the end.

Don't forget, you can buy 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas here, and 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas here.

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 10: Scrooge and Marley (Deceased)

Happy Solstice Day!

First published three years ago, in 2017, the premise of Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): The Haunted Man was that Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghost of of Jacob Marley work together to solve mysteries of an occult nature within the Victorian world of Charles Dickens' books.

The intention was to write more stories set within this world, and even a gamebook, but the adventures of this pair of occult detectives didn't take off in the way that I had hoped.

I did publish another story, Murder in the Cathedral, and have plotted out four more, but when or if they appear, we will have to wait and see...

     

“I come this night to ask for your help, Ebenezer,” the ghost said.

Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): The Haunted Man

A year on from the events of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge finds himself visited once again by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, who brings with him a new proposition. Just as Marley helped Scrooge to avoid the cruel fate that the last of the Three Spirits foretold, Marley wants Scrooge to help him reduce his time in Purgatory.

And so begins an epic adventure that will see the former friends face off against all manner of phantasms, freaks and fiends, with just one thing at stake… Everything!

      

Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): Murder in the Cathedral

Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghost-hunting partner Jacob Marley (already a ghost himself) visit the cathedral city of Cloisterham in order to investigate the disappearance of a young man... A certain Mr Edwin Drood.

      

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 8: Christmas Past

Twelve years ago I wrote a festive-themed Ulysses Quicksilver short story, which was published with my third Pax Britannia novel Human Nature.

Christmas Past, as the story was called, featured a murder mystery set in Oxford, or at least the Pax Britannia universe version of the City of Dreaming Spires.

You can still read Christmas Past, as it appears in the Ulysses Quicksilver Omnibus Vol. 1, which is still on sale from Amazon.

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 5: The Krampus Night Before Christmas

Happy Christmas Jumper Day, everyone!

Yes, today's entry in my 12 Days of Christmas is 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas, which was the inspiration for the recently-released 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas.

As the blurb puts it:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... 

And then the clock strikes thirteen and you wake to hear a thud downstairs. Investigating, you discover that your home has been invaded by two red-cloaked, and bearded, strangers. Before you know what is happening, Krampus the Christmas Devil has abducted Santa Claus, and it's up to you to save Saint Nick before Christmas Day dawns and the cruel, birch-wielding, goat-leggéd one usurps the generous gift-giver's position, taking his place forever. 

He knows if you've been good or bad, so be good for goodness sake... 

Throughout the course of the adventure, YOU decide which path to take, which risks to brave, and even which of the strange creatures you will meet along the way to engage in battle. Success is by no means certain and you may well fail to complete the adventure at your first attempt. However, with experience, skill, and maybe even a little luck, each new attempt should bring you closer to your ultimate goal. But whether you succeed in your quest will be down to the choices YOU make.

If you would like a signed copy, you can buy a paperback or a hardback direct from the author, but order by Thursday 17th December if you want to ensure you receive you book before Christmas.

Sorry, but the Krampuses (Krampi?) are not for sale.

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 2: Gruss vom Krampus

Today is 5th December, which means that this evening is Krampusnacht, the night when the Christmas Devil stalks the streets of Austrian and German mountain settlements, searching for naughty children to whip with his birch switch and carry away to hell in his wicker basket.

Krampusnacht feels more like Halloween than Christmas. To mark this occasion in the winter calendar, men dressed as Krampus drink alcohol, run through the streets, and frighten children. Often, they chase delinquent children around and actually hit them with sticks! The Krampus costume itself traditionally consists of a hand-carved wooden mask and a suit made from sheep or goat skin. Cowbells are worn around the wearer’s hips.

Of course, Krampus is the villain of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas (which is accepting reviews on Amazon now), but he is also the Big Bad of 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas, which is chock full of Tony Hough's glorious full-colour art and available now from DriveThruRPG.

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 1: Xmas Xplained

Over the years I have written all sorts of books, short stories, and games that have a connection to Christmas. This year, very other day, starting today and running until Christmas, I am going to post about one of them here, starting with...

Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts

What could make a better gift, this Christmas, than my fact-filled, fun-filled, Christmas cornucopia of curious customs and tremendous traditions?

The Good Book Guide described my book on the history and origins of Christmas as being, "As welcome as a warm glass of mulled wine on a wintry night, Green's guide to Christmas enhances the pleasures of the festive season, offering a witty cornucopia of Christmas facts and folklore."

It would make the ideal gift for a trivia fan, an elderly relative, or for your works Secret Santa. The book comes in a hardback format and with a gold ribbon bookmark too.

In the UK, Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts is published by Snowbooks*. But if you live on the other side of the pond, the book is available there from Skyhorse Publishing, under the title..

Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas.

* Who else?

The Krampus Kalendar: K is for KRAMPUS

In the twenty-first century, we have become so used to the idea of Santa bringing gifts to good little boys and girls on Christmas Eve it is easy to forget that not so long ago, bad little boys and girls were likewise punished.

In the wild heartlands of Europe such legends are not so easily forgotten, and so it is that in countries such as Austria and Hungary, on 5 December, communities remember Krampus, a demonic anti-Santa who accompanies St. Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children.




In the Alpine regions, traditionally young men dress up as the Krampus and roam the streets, frightening children and women with rusty chains and clanging bells. In some rural areas the tradition goes so far as to include the birching of young girls!

Images of Krampus usually show him with a basket on his back, used to carry away bad children and dump them into the pits of Hell. The name Krampus itself originates from the Old High German word krampen, meaning ‘claw’.

So when the chubby, cheery fellow with the bulging sack of presents asks if you've been good or bad, you had better have been good, for goodness sake…

Krampus is the Big Bad of both the gamebook 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas and the roleplaying game 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas, which is currently funding on Kickstarter.

   

To find out more about the festive season and its many traditions, order your copy of the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts today!

The book is also available in the United States as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Christmas.

      

Gruss vom Krampus!

Today is 5th December, which means that this evening is Krampusnacht, the night when the Christmas Devil stalks the streets of Austrian and German mountain settlements, searching for naughty children to whip with his birch switch and carry away to hell in his wicker basket.

Krampusnacht feels more like Halloween than Christmas. To mark this occasion in the winter calendar, men dressed as Krampus drink alcohol, run through the streets, and frighten children. Often, they chase delinquent children around and actually hit them with sticks!

The Krampus costume itself traditionally consists of a hand-carved wooden mask and a suit made from sheep or goat skin. Cowbells are worn around the wearer’s hips.

Of course, Krampus is the villain of 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas (which is accepting reviews on Amazon now), but he is also the Big Bad of 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas, which needs some love on Kickstarter right now.

Don't forget to pledge your support before midnight, to benefit from the Early Bird rewards on offer.

And it's not too late to send some Krampus Kards this Christmas. If you need some more, they can be purchased from the ACE Gamebooks Etsy shop here.