Featuring authors such as Robert E Howard, Fritz Lieber, Jack Vance, Michael Moorcock, HP Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Leigh Brackett. These works were primarily written between the 1930s and 1970s, when the genres were still taking shape into what we know today. They’re known for their action, weirdness, and deep vocabulary.
Today, you can find such titles on the shelves of used bookstores. Typically appearing as beat up ‘70s paperbacks with faded text printed on pulpy, yellowed pages.
In the Tabletop Role Playing Game community, this is a vibe modern creators love returning to.
This July, join us for an itch jam that pays homage to this retro pulp fantasy.
The second annual Appx. N Jam!
Entries will be evaluated on 4 categories: Writing, Visual Design, Gameability, and Theme.
Writing: the strength of the prose. What kind of ideas are present in the writing? Do they fire your imagination? How well is this information conveyed? Is this module telling you everything it needs to? Is the text meandering or to the point?
Visual Design: the art and layout of the module. How striking are the visuals? Does the art represent the text? Is information findable on the page? Are elements where you expect them to be? Do the color or contrast heighten the work?
Gameability: the module's ease of use. Does this seem easy to run? Are the concepts accessible? Would this require additional materials to work? How much prep time would this module require? Do the themes above come together in a helpful way?
Theme: the retro vibes. If this module were a book, would you expect to find it on the original Appendix N list? How faithful are it's ideas to the weird fiction and science fantasy genres? Does it use elements from those old stories? How does it adapt them for the needs of a modern audience?
Making modules isn't easy and we want to make sure the best ones get rewarded.
Last year we were felt like the audience pick didn't nearly get rewarded enough for its excellent quality. So we've decided to put the audience and judges pick at parity with each other. We also really wanted to make sure outstanding entries in each category got more recognition, so we have replaced 2nd place with an award for each category. While participants can vote on best category (as last year) the category prizes will be determined by the judges panel.
Please note that money will be sent via PayPal.
Our panel of judges are all cool people in the rpg community. They range from writers to commentators in order to give insight into different aspects of the submissions.
Our 2026 Panel of Judges Are:
We want to make sure you have everything you need to put together your adventure!
Want more Appendix N specific resources? We've made a Google Drive with some curated free fonts, textures, and images we think work well.
Last year we were blown away by the volume and caliber of submissions, as well as the support creators gave to each other! We saw the community come together in so many positive ways. From sharing ideas, to making resources, to design feedback, to hyping up fellow entries. Big names in the space took the time to help out new creators. This meant so much to us as hosts of the competition and we wanted to take a moment to extend our heartfelt thanks.
We cannot wait to see this years submissions!
