External Link: Natural 20 Web Series

Today I'd like to share the excellent web series Natural 20 by Jack Delaney. This is a hilarious show that actually manages to portray a comedic take on tabletop gaming that is accurate and familiar to those who have played games like Dungeons and Dragons. Lots of fun inside jokes and musings on the myriad ways that things can go right and wrong within a eclectic group of players.

The entire first season is currently available to view on Youtube. Enjoy!

Celebrity Quotes on Tabletop RPGs

Felicia Day (The Guild)

Tabletop RPGs have recently been revitalized with renewed interest through current media and general exposure. This exposure is also helped along by the endorsement of proud celebrity tabletop fans ranging from comedian Patton Oswalt to journalist Anderson Cooper. Today I'd like to share some quotes from various individuals in positions of a higher profile than most. Enjoy the following tidbits from various celebrities with an interest in Dungeons and Dragons and tabletop gaming.

"The most valuable thing about it is its incentivization of collaborative, spontaneous storytelling. It really blurs the lines between reality and fantasy in your mind in the way a video game being realistic simply can’t do.

When you’re with your friends, or even just other human beings, and you’re talking about what’s going on, and a qualified game master is keeping track of what’s going on and allowing you to collectively participate in an imaginary event, it really takes the pressure off being in the line at the bank the next day. You start to realize this is a collective story too, there’s just more evidence we should take this seriously. But if we can’t make our own happiness, where’s it going to come from? I just like the invitation to create your own world." -Dan Harmon, writer (Community, Rick and Morty)

“So imagine: Dungeons and Dragons [is] a table filled with artists, whether they're painters, whether they're actors, whether they're poets … - whatever they are, they are able to live in this world of imagination.” -Vin Diesel, actor

"...Regarding tabletop RPGs. If you get the right group of players, you can learn so much about storytelling, improv, character, etc. It forces you to deal with an immediate audience. And have to balance the needs of the story you want to tell and the story they want.If you want to get the most out of it, GM a game. You have to do all the work. But if you it right, you get an incredible rush. -Pablo Hidalgo, Lucas Story Group

“You are not entering this world in the usual manner, for you are setting forth to be a Dungeon Master. Certainly there are stout fighters, mighty magic-users, wily thieves, and courageous clerics who will make their mark in the magical lands of D&D adventure. You however, are above even the greatest of these, for as DM you are to become the Shaper of the Cosmos. It is you who will give form and content to the all the universe. You will breathe life into the stillness, giving meaning and purpose to all the actions which are to follow.” - Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons

"I think it’s driven me to be a better storyteller. I am FAR from perfect, and I make errors all the time, but if anything I hope that reminds others out there who are also GMs/Prospective GMs that it’s okay if you mess up. Just own it, justify it, and move on." -Matt Mercer, voice actor/ dungeon master (Critical Role)

"I'm a very lazy person by nature. I have to be really engaged, and then I go straight from lazy to obsessive. I couldn't study chemistry, but I could memorize all the books for Dungeons and Dragons. It was ridiculous. The trick is to find what I like to do." -Jon Favreau, Director (Iron Man)

"If you’re like me and thought “Wow, that’s way nerdier than I can swing” give it a try. Whatever the preconception, when you’re working with 8 others to formulate a plan in order to avoid magic-seeing dogs and retrieve a deadly shard weapon to save a city, you’ll forget about what other people think and just have fun." -Felicia Day, Writer/Actress

My Favorite Universal RPG Systems

For the longest time, GURPS was the gold standard for a universal tabletop role playing system. A flexible and detailed system that would allow you to run any game, from scif fi and fantasy, to noir or Lovecraftian horror. But that system has a lot of moving parts and trappings that can be overwhelming or tedious to many players, myself included. Nowadays, the rise of more modern RPG systems have widened our range of options when it comes to a universal RPG.

In recent years, a number of game systems have risen to prominence based on the selling points of simplicity and infinite adaptability. Today I'd like to share my personal favorites for running a game in any setting that you can just pick up and play. 

When it comes to a universal game system, I never limit myself to a single option. This is because there are a number of gameplay styles that fit a wide range of personal taste. Sometimes players want to tell a story, other times they desire the challenge of a game of strategy. It's good to consider which ruleset best represents the play style of your group before choosing one.

As a side note, I also really like Mutants and Masterminds and anything that uses the Apocalypse Engine, like Dungeon World. But these games still have to be tweaked and customized quite a bit before they are ready to be adapted to a unique setting. My top picks for this entry are games that can work with any genre or setting right out of the box.

Also, my least favorite universal system would be any other generic or open source D20 system. I love Dungeons and Dragons, but that system has a lot of intricacy and design built into the system to support the basic rules. Strip away the magic system, the equipment, the fantastical character classes, and you have a system that is just not very interesting or intuitive without it. Better to stick to more simple systems that aren't geared toward a specific genre of game. 

Like these great examples:

The Tactical Game: Savage Worlds

Built around the motto "Fast! Furious! Fun!" Savage Worlds is indeed fast-paced and easily adaptable for many different kinds of games. This one is the best option for players who want to use maps, miniatures, and tactical combat. 

The rules are fairly simple but allow for unique character creation and tactical options.  They are also perfect for grid-based mapping, and the use of playing cards for tracking initiative makes the combat uniquely dynamic. Overall, a great system for players who love the action-packed taste of combat! 

The Narrative Game: FATE

FATE Core, and its simplified quick-start counterpart FATE Accelerated are revolutionary when it comes to narrative focused games and cooperative storytelling. Providing a quick and easy framework for defining characters' strengths, weaknesses, and fodder for improvised plot developments. 

The main mechanic involves spending and earning points by exploiting aspects. Aspects are terms and descriptors that are applied to your characters as well as the scenes themselves. When you use these aspects to your advantage, it costs you a Fate Point. When your aspects cause problems for your character, you earn Fate Points. The special six sided dice used for this game provide a very simple and easy to understand range of numbers that reduces time spent number crunching. If your group enjoys storytelling over everything, this is the way to go. (FATE Accelerated tops my list of easiest pick up and play games.)

The Casual Game: RISUS

For those that honestly don't have time to read a whole rulebook and need to get started playing right away, there is this fun little comedic game system named RISUS. It's only a couple of pages total and you will know everything you need to play. The ultimate "Beer and Pretzels" system, a casual game that takes very little effort to get up and running. 

Of course there are a number of other RPG systems that might fit the needs of the game you want to run, but these are my particular favorites. Keep them in mind next time you have an idea for a session and need a set of rules that will fit the game. Keep in mind what kind of game you and the players want it to be, and pick the most appropriate tools for the job.

Happy ventures!

External Links: 10 Humorous Articles and Webcomics

(It's been a busy week for me so far, so in place of a more detailed article, please enjoy these tabletop humorous articles, reviews, and webcomics that I have found amusing.)

Funny articles about Dungeons and Dragons and other RPGs:

The Most Metal Deaths in Middle Earth, Ranked

The 24 Most Embarrassing Dungeons & Dragons Character Classes

​The 20 Most WTF Magical Items in Dungeons & Dragons

20 of the Most Useless Dungeons & Dragons Spells Ever

1001+ Things the Worst Party in Eberron is Forbidden From Doing.

Snarky Reviews:

"WTF, D&D?!" Archives Via Something Awful

World of Synnibar Review

Ten Things I Hate About Shadowrun

Web Comics:

DM of the Rings: A Web Comic

The Order of the Stick

Until next week, happy ventures!

Links: Online Resources for Tabletop Gaming

(With my current work schedule this week I fell behind a bit, so in lieu of a full entry I would like to share this collection of links to my favorite online resources.)

Great (Free) Web Sites and Apps for Game Mastering:

Roll20: For live online gaming, it doesn't get any better than this! You can add your own graphics, organize multiple maps and screens, control the players' view, and even allow them to move their own tokens on the screen. Great stuff for those times when you can't get a group together in person!

Ambient Mixer: I love this site for the sheer amount of control you have in customizing and personalizing your own atmospheric sound effects. You have the ability to mix your own tracks and save them to the site, or choose from one of many user-created combinations of background noises to set the mood of a scene.

Mythweavers: The character sheet hosting on this site is first class! They cover a multitude of game systems, and setting up an account lets you fill out and save digital records of your characters. Convenient and easy, it really streamlines character creation and you won't have to worry about losing your sheet as long as you have an internet connection.

Master Plan: Master Plan was made with 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons in mind, but its flowchart creation tools and initiative tracking can be a valuable resource for planning a campaign in any system. Check out this cool application and see if it will help you with your own game mastery needs.

RP Tools: "RPTools is a brand of open-source programs designed to enhance traditional pen-and-paper role playing games." These include a useful initiative tracking app, an online map builder, and more!

Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller: Never be without the ability to roll anything from a d6 to a d20 with this handy browser-based free dice roller from Wizards of the Coast!

Happy ventures!

The Best and Worst of Level One Adventures

Those who have dabbled in the world of Dungeons and Dragons or some other RPG have probably had the experience of playing in a single game that didn't pan out into a larger campaign. Many times the players are just too busy to gather regularly to continue the adventure, or more often than not they just aren't interested in the story or gameplay. This means that a lot of times a player will experience playing only the first segment of a longer narrative, and leave it at that. Unfortunately, a lot of groups will start that first session at the 'official' beginning of a campaign, with the player characters starting at class level one. 

This can be a problem in many game systems, but for the sake of argument let me explain why this is frustrating in Dungeons and Dragons in particular. When you start at level one in every campaign, you're getting a very similar experience. It has a very distinct style and feel that is unique to its own level of gameplay. So by starting each campaign at level one, you're guaranteeing that it's all you get to play unless you can establish a stable gaming group and earn your way to future levels. It's all well and good to have goals to aim for, but here we have a case in which players may never experience anything beyond the first forays into adventuring of level one scenarios. It's like being perpetually stuck in the Water Temple from Ocarina of Time.

Enough With the Goblins

Another problem is that level one adventures are prone to cliche... a lot of pre-made and home-brewed level one adventures fall prey to this. Boring enemy types are my personal peeve. If it's level one, goblins and kobolds are the soup du jour... with a handful of rats and/or dogs as well. 

Not only does this get boring and repetitive, but it can also make your players feel weak and useless. Rats are fine for a low-level threat, of course, but nobody ever felt like an action hero while beating up a rat. If your first mission is clearing rats out of the castle's basement, you shouldn't be surprised when your players don't want to continue the campaign. Keep the challenges exciting and fresh, and make sure your players have a sense of achievement if you want them coming back for more!

Low level adventures are good for two things... teaching the basic game mechanics with the most simple of character builds, and having a very palpable sense of danger and risk. A single hit you take could bring down your very low hit points and defenses. You have fewer spells and moves to keep track of, but they are limited and must be used wisely. These elements can make for a really fun experience, but it doesn't represent the full spectrum of experience of tabletop gaming. Consider starting your campaign at a higher level, especially if you're not sure about the possibility of future sessions with a gaming group.

Danger Around Every Corner

Another problem is that low-level games can (quite ironically) be particularly hard on inexperienced DMs with its high-stakes play style and limited number of choices for encounters. After all, you can threaten a mid-level party with a swarm of weaker monsters, but when your group is first level there aren't a lot of monsters you can send at them that won't overwhelm them. It takes a bit of know-how to put together and run a Level One. Most skillful DMs have to resort to tricks like building their own traps and monsters, or tweaking the stats on existing ones to accommodate the adventurers. It's a balancing act to keep the game challenging but still surmountable.

Level one adventures could work just as well as a challenge for experienced players to test their gaming chops in a situation where they are weaker and more limited in their options. And higher level games could make a good entry point for rookies to feel powerful and get a feel for the game. There's no need to make a clear association between low level characters and new players. Keep this in mind when you begin playing with a new group, and at the very least keep your level one campaign as compelling and original as possible. And take it easy with the goblins.

Happy ventures!

Mysteries in Your Campaign

Checking out the crime scene (Sherlock, BBC)

Audiences love a good whodunnit. When it comes to your campaign, the occasional mystery can be mentally stimulating and a great opportunity for a uniquely structured game session. But managing the complexities of such a challenge and giving the players a fair chance to souse out the truth can be difficult. With this in mind, here are my top tips for running a successful caper in your own campaign!

Develop a timeline of events before you do anything else.

Throughout the game, your players will follow up on many leads in their search for the truth. Not all of these leads will bring them to the solution. In fact it is a well-known DM's adage that your players will latch onto the most inconsequential of things within a setting and believe them to be important. This means that it is best to have a big picture of everything that is going on behind the scenes so you can more clearly present the players with the sequence of events and provide them with many leads to follow. Plan out ahead of time which leads are false so that you can clearly direct the players to the correct one.

The start of this step is simple. First write down each important character that is involved in the mystery. Then decide where they were and what they were doing when the main event of your mystery occurred. Decide whether their alibi is true or false, and what part they took in the events that unfolded.

Finally, give them each a motivation of some sort. This is basically the 'probable cause' that will make them a suspect.  

It might be easiest to write this down as a table of some sort. Line up their name, alibi, and description of their role and motive. I first saw this explained in an article from Dragon Magazine by Wizards of the Coast (Issue #426), and this technique has helped me in putting together my own intrigues.

Include more clues than you think you need.

This is a specific subsection of the larger rule that it's better to over-prepare than under-prepare. This especially applies to mysteries where it is easy for players and DMs to become confused or run short on ideas. Additionally, if you plan on having the players roll to notice certain clues, make sure that they aren't excessively difficult. Remember to include clues that can't be missed with a failed dice roll. You don't want a series of bad rolls to ruin any chance of solving the puzzle.

Now you should put together a list of clues and things for your players to investigate.

Be sure to have a wide variety of clues. Keep in mind what the player characters are good at, and what skills they will be putting to use during the investigation. Talking to witnesses and suspects, gathering evidence from the scene of a crime, or conducting forensic research are all possible moves that clever players might make. With these possibilites in mind, put together a bunch of clues and remember that each of them should produce some kind of useful conclusion. You probably won't need all of them, so be sure to have multiple clues that might lead to the same or similar conclusions. Include clues that rule out possible suspects, or guide the players to a location where they might find even more clues.

Rounding up the usual suspects. (Shadowrun)

Keep the clues obvious and clear.

You're going to want to avoid any ambiguity if you want your players to have the best possible chance of solving the mystery. After all, the goal of a mystery based encounter is to give the party a fun and stimulating challenge, not to stop them in their tracks or leave them stumped and defeated. As I stated previously in this entry: 

When it comes to planting clues, the simpler and more numerous the better. This isn't to say that your audience is ignorant, but once the group is around the table shouting out ideas and following their own trains of thought, you will find it will take much longer than if you had presented the same puzzle to a single player. Also, mysteries are hard to design in such a way that the solution is clear yet challenging for the players. 

Avoid subtle, circumstantial evidence. Don't be afraid to make the clues obvious. Clarity is important to keep things on track. If you're worried about a mystery being too easy, you can have NPCs require a more substantial amount of evidence to convict a culprit, or some other in-universe explanation for why the players shouldn't go straight towards accusing their suspect. If all else fails, warn players that they are missing key information if they are about to jump to a conclusion too early.

Improvise clues through actions the players take.

Finally, be flexible and patient with your players. If they choose to investigate through an avenue you had not considered, try to adapt to their choices. You might even consider adding additional clues you had not originally planned for. Don't be close-minded enough to only allow one way to approach a problem. Consider the basic facts you have already established about the mystery, and how they could be discovered through whatever methods your players are most interested in. 

Work your existing clues in by means you might not have considered at first. For instance, instead of detecting a particular scent of perfume at the scene of the crime, perhaps your players will glean this information through interrogation of a witness. Be fair, be reasonable, and be accommodating to the play style of your group.

If all else fails, don't fret. Start into the action!

If your players are still stumped and getting frustrated, don't panic. Whether it is due to excessive difficulty or lack of experience, it needn't get to the point that the players are having a bad time. Shift the focus away from the combat. If necessary, resolve the caper with a big action piece. You can present a consequence for failure to solve the mystery, but don't make the party feel bad about it. Like any plans gone awry, they can be reworked to the overall benefit of the campaign. As always, keeping everybody entertained is the core of your game.

Happy ventures!

Ten Movies That Resemble Tabletop Games!

You may have heard that Dungeons and Dragons is getting another movie treatment in the near future. There have been a number of critically unsuccessful attempts to bring the franchise to the silver screen, but this may well be the one that makes it. One big reason that it is difficult to translate the game into a cinematic experience is that there is no particular story to any pen and paper game beyond the one created by the players. Instead, a movie aimed at paying tribute to the genre should focus on recreating the dynamic of gameplay and player interaction in a fun narrative way. With this in mind, I would like to introduce my own list of movies that capture the "feel" of tabletop gaming. 

Firstly, let me break down the elements that I think are most iconic in role playing games. These are the creative choices that make a movie strongly resemble, say, a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. A movie doesn't have to include all of these elements to make the list, but these are the most commonly recognizable tropes.

• Starring an ensemble cast of characters, each with unique talents and specialization. 
• Delivering a sense of fantasy and wonder in a world that is unique and open to exploration. 
• The characters develop over time, and their personalities and skills grow over this period. 
• There is playful banter and a sense of camaraderie among the group, and they overcome challenges as a team. 
• The characters face a wide array of obstacles that test their abilities in combat, intrigue, and guile. The characters typically follow a clearly defined mission and their adventure is based around this direct goal. 
• The movie has a strong blend of comedy and action. 
• The movie ends with a sense of achievement and promise of future adventure.

"Let's get this adventuring party started"

With that being said, here is a list of my first top ten movies that are like tabletop RPGs:

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
A classic, oft reference icon of early nerd cinema. This very funny parody of Arthurian legend is one that infamously gets less entertaining as it is quoted by snarky players at the game table for the thousandth time. Still, the comedic quest with the knights of the round table, battling monsters and foes along the way, is a great example of a movie that reminds you of goofier moments playing games of Dungeons and Dragons.

2. The Lord of the Rings series
A classic Dungeons and Dragons inspiration, as we would not have the game of D&D today if not for author JRR Tolkien. The Fellowship travels through a number of epic encounters, splits the party, and completes an incredible quest. With their line up of rangers, halfling thieves, and even a wizard, the heroes from this movie could be considered the first  D&D adventuring party. In fact, one clever internet person has already depicted this in web-comic form and the results are hilarious!

3. The Princess Bride
Another supremely quotable movie that eventually ends up following a pair of swashbucklers, a giant, and a princess in a quest to defeat an evil monarch. With fantastical settings, clever contests of wits and strength, and the fact that the entire story is projected from the imagination of a child, it could just as easily be re-imagined as somebody's particularly humorous game night. The frequent anachronisms serve to make the comparison even more fitting!

4. The Fast and the Furious franchise

This one might seem like an odd choice at first, but this quote, originally attributed to a SomethingAwful forum user, makes it clear why this goes on the list. *Strong language warning*

It's also explicitly a D&D campaign, as confirmed by a Justin Lin interview posted some pages ago. The order in which I saw the movies was 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and going from 5 to 1 I was floored by how low-key everything was. But it's about escalation. Dom Toretto in Furious 6 is not the same person as Dom Toretto in TF&TF because he's leveled up from like 5 to 20-something. And there are things that are necessary to the process of leveling that far. There's the continuing growth and harmony of the adventuring party/family, and the acquisition and use of magic items/cars. Cars are not just a thing you drive fast in this series (Though it's kinda hilarious how there's the additional parallel of broadening scope of items. In TF&TF, the cars are super important but they don't really do much. They drive exclusively in straight lines, often badly, because these are just +2 Cars compared to the +5 Vorpal Holy Avenger Cars we get later) [Continued]

5. Guardians of the Galaxy
A great movie to showcase unlikely heroes who are each drastically different from one another. This one is all about the party! You have heroes who specialize in swords and melee, others who attack with firearms, some who are good at talking their way out of anything and others who are pure muscle and barely talk at all. A great example of the kind of variety and teamwork that is reminiscent of a fun campaign.

6. The Mummy movies
Monster encounters in caverns and tombs will be familiar to any RPG enthusiast, and this movie has that in spades. With its heroes dedicated to adventure and questing against evil, and the plethora of traps and lost chambers to explore, it sure feels at times like an old school dungeon delve!

7. Labyrinth
This one is all about the dungeon! Literally forced to traverse one herself on a quest to save her baby brother, Sarah recruits a number of other adventurers along the way. With riddles and puzzles and strange environments, this movie really captures the mood of a cleverly designed tabletop game level.

8. Gangster Squad
A lesser known recent film that manages to capture that same type of team dynamic found in others on this list. With car chases, gunfights, and other exciting encounters, this one follows a team of police on a mission to take down a mobster that could very well be the subject of a modern-day campaign.

9. Ocean's Eleven
The ultimate big team movie. With its huge ensemble cast of characters with unique specializations, it's great for showing how to give every player a role in adventure. Like Fast and Furious, the team grows and develops over time, and their collaborative achievements during the heists are very similar to the collaborative storytelling of tabletop gaming.

10. Jumanji
This is an obvious one of course, with its dice rolls for random encounters and the running theme of jungle dangers in a modern suburban setting. The new 'players' are even guided through the rules of the dangerous living board game by Robin Williams, the same way experienced players introduce people to their own favorite game.

Do you have any favorite movies that remind you of a tabletop RPG? Any that inspire you for your own games? Share your thoughts in the comment section! Happy ventures!

Actual Play Podcast and Video Recommendations!

Greetings, adventurers! 

I was planning on dropping a major new article today, but I am starting on a new full time job and I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment. So instead of my usual fare, please enjoy these links to actual play (recorded tabletop RPG session) podcasts and videos series from all over the 'net! I will be dropping more recommendations like these as time goes on, but for now I hope this provides plenty of listening enjoyment.

Happy Ventures!

Acquisitions Incorporated:Wizards of the Coast employee Chris Perkins hosts these exciting sessions at PAX, probably the highest profile Dungeons and Dragons actual play series of all time! *Strong language warning*

Critical Hit: Some real solid and entertaining characterization in this 4th edition DnD series which has lots of tactical encounters and plenty of role playing.

Critical Role: A massive party of professional voice actors gather for this video series, with lots of clever banter and atmospheric soundscapes. Played in heavily houseruled 5th edition D&D.

D6mafia's "Threshold": A really fun and playful ongoing 5th edition D&D campaign with a very friendly, welcoming tone. Especially good for demonstrating how to give the players creative control over many aspects of a campaign. As another plus, it's video as well.

Harmontown D&D : Community showrunner and long-time gaming nerd Dan Harmon assembles his friends, audience volunteers, and celebrity guest stars to play through some old-school Dungeons and Dragons. Hosted by a truly skillful Dungeon Master named Spencer Crittendon. *Strong adult content warning*

Nerd Poker: Comedian Brian Posehn and friends welcome you into their ongoing D&D campaign as they delve into mystery and adventure! *Some adult content*

One Shot: One of the most highly recommended actual play series, this one doesn't limit itself to a single system. Instead the podcasters showcase a wide range of RPG products and are very entertaining in the process!

Robot Chicken One Shot: Chris Perkins hosts this video event to promote 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. It's a really good introduction to the enjoyable feeling of gaming with friends, regardless of the specific system.

Rollplay: Youtuber ItmeJP gathers various personalities from the web to play through different gaming systems, including Dungeon World and Shadowrun!

Rated RPG: The folks at Blame Society Films, creators of Chad Vader and Beer and Board Games try their hand at the world of role playing games. Hijinks ensue.

DM Scraps! Episode 2

(The "DM Scraps!" series is a collection of assorted notes from my own tabletop adventures. I am sharing them in hopes of providing some inspiration and insight into what goes on behind my DM screen. They are raw and unedited, but I will highlight details that I find interesting to look back on. Enjoy!)

[I have removed all the game statistics from these notes to enhance readability and to respect proprietery game information.]

This is a session from midway through my 3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons campaign War of Whispers. It took place about halfway through, around levels 5-6. This first section is how I handled an expedititious trip to a merchant, allowing the players to purchase supplies before departing on their next mission. They each received 10k gold points to spend, and I submitted to them this menu of specialty items to purchase.

Budget:

10, 000 gp each

4.000

ITEMS:

Ring of Protection +1      1,000 gp

Adamantine armor 10,000 gp

Spells                        1,000 gp ea.

ring of lesser spell storing 1,500 gp

Boots of kicking (improved unarmed)     2,000 gp

Staff of illusion                  8,000 gp

Gloves of ogre strength    5,000 gp

Cloak of shadows             5,000 gp

Bag of holding       9,000 gp

Eager Anarchic Greataxe   4,000 gp

Belt of endurance (AE) 5,000 gp

Blindfolds of true darkness     2,000 gp

Pet clockroach 2,500 gp

Autocart 7,000 gp

Mithral armor 6,000 gp

Mithral ring armor 4,000 gp

Amulet of health +2 4,000 gp

Cape of the Mountebank          6,000 gp

Gnome calculus 20 gp

Pearl of power 1 2 3             500 gp, 1,500 gp, 3,000 gp

Wand of jumping 1,000 gp

wand of magic missile 2 2,500 gp

Snowshoes 15 gp

Crampons (climbing hooks) 5 gp

Portable hut 100 gp

Vitruvius buckler: Sonic resistance 10

Dug’s helm: Listen +1, Fortification 1 (25% chance of preventing crit)

Then, before departing from their home base I had each character delivered a letter that would provide plot hooks for future sessions. I had each one printed up as a handout and passed them around the table. For the cleric Vitruvius, the letter was scorched and damaged by fire, which would have ominous implications for the fate of his mentor. Handouts like these are a great way to implement the rule of "show, don't tell," and let the players get immersed and explore the story for themselves.

MAIL CALL:

Vitruvius:

My dear pupil Lucernus,

If you are reading this I am afraid it is because I have passed on to Pelor’s Kingdom. Please know that, whatever the circumstances of my perishing may have been, I have no regrets. I insstructed the brotherhood to send this letter on to you in hopes that you will realize that you are my most prized student, and the next in line to carry on my work. All that I have left behind I entrust to you. Carry it well and remember to value mercy and preach redemption even when others have not the strength.

Farewell and may Pelor’s light guide thee afar,

Father Flamma Niteo

Dug: *Missing notes*

Taishi: *Missing notes*

Loolipook:

Ms Croftbarrow,

I know these playful antics are just your way of acting out but this is really too much!!!! No more explosive runes for you young lady! I’ll have you know that I am highly allergic to combustion and had to go see a physician about my sinuses! Next time you will not be so insolent, I am making sure of it. I am assembling the Gaston Force and we will be seeing you soon.

STONEHEDGE:

Covered in snow, ice

In my initial notes I included the official rules for handling inclement weather like snow and extreme cold. This would help set the tone of the setting, the dreary arctic environment in which I would set a creepy werewolf and mind flayer conspiracy. I also included monster notes for creatures that were certain to appear in the adventure at some point.

Mind Flayer Stats

Ice Beast Gargoyle (3)

This hunched, winged creature seems to be made of pale ice. It

has curving horns, a long tail, and fi erce claws, and two large

tusks jut from its jaw.

Combat

An ice beast gargoyle attacks as its creator orders.

Frigid Touch (Su): An ice beast gargoyle deals an extra 1d6

points of cold damage with each successful melee attack.

Construct Traits

Here I included stats for wererats and werewolves, two enemy types that would be recurring in the game. Recurring enemy types can become tedious very easily, so I don't usually have very many and I make sure they don't last for a long time in encounters. Done right they can contribute greatly to making a certain setting memorable, holding a sense of nostalgia from their particular time and place in a campaign. After all, everybody remembers the Imperial Stormtroopers from Star Wars. Keeping them unique to this region meant that there was a particular theme associated with this part of the adventure. This theme was also played out in the other lupine encounters.

These were notes for some of the special weapons I provided the players as loot, personalized for their own characters, of course:

THE SWORD OF KENOBASHI

+1 Shocking Katana

+1 Wakizashi

PELOR’S FIST

+2 Commanding Mace

This next section was an extensive satirical riff on the controversial Church of Scientology, depicted here as well-meaning fundamentalists tricked into serving illithids from another plane. In this RP encounter, I would see if player characters could be tricked into drinking a beverage that would force them to be sympathetic to the Psiontological cause. I also had dialogue prepared for Derek Chance, a goofy analogue of actor Tom Cruise. (No offense intended toward the man himself, but he is rife with potential for parody.)

Welcome to the New Church of Psiontology, have some fruit punch! The first drink is always free.

Everyone who drinks the beverage seems to have a glazed look in their eyes, and a placid cow-like smile on their face.

PSIONIC FRUIT PUNCH: DC 20 will save or become entranced, forced to comply with the cult’s requests. You cannot make another save until asked to do something blatantly against your personal code. Will save is 12.

Psiontologists

Tom Chance, Psion Egoist 6

Derek Chance: So you’re either on board, or... you better get on board!

It all began 75 million years ago. Back then there was a galactic federation of planes which was ruled over by the evil Lord Xaxis. Xaxis thought his world was overpopulated, and so he rounded up countless illithids from all different planets, and then had those illithids frozen. The frozen illithid bodies were loaded onto Xaxis's galactic frieghters,. The ships then took the frozen illithid bodies to our world and dumped them into the volcanoes of Tartaros. The illithids were no longer frozen, they were dead. The souls of those illithids, however, lived on, and all floated up towards the sky. But the evil Lord Xaxis had prepared for this. Xaxis didn't want their souls to return! And so he built giant soul-catchers in the sky! The souls were taken to a huge soul brain-washing facility, which Xaxis had also built. There the souls were forced to watch days of brainwashing material which tricked them into believing a false reality. Xaxis then released the illithid souls, which roamed the earth aimlessly in a fog of confusion. At the dawn of man, the souls finally found bodies which they could grab onto. They attached themselves to all mankind, which still to this day causes all our fears, our confusions, and our problems.

Ther are a couple notes here from the first true set piece for this adventure, a battle against the evil werewolf Shadi, which combined dangerous terrain and environmental effects with several dangerous gargoyles. The concept was that the characters would have to hop on icebergs to pursue the villain while his minions interfered. Between the slick ice, the chill weather, and the monsters' lashing claws, there were a number of hazards to threaten the team here.

Shadi Ice Flow Encounter

Shadi: So you all returned. I could have warned you of this, what you have all brought upon yourselves. This is how my masters repay your insolence. I pity you, the walking dead, whose misery must now be ended.

He dispatches 4 Ice gargoyles and departs.

This was another major encounter, which was run fast and furious to make up for the fact that it was all variants of one enemy type: wolves. A pack led by a winter wolf with its frost breath and evil intellect. This is an encounter that highlighted teamwork. The pack works together to flank and outwit the team, while the heroes must work in unison to defeat them.

Wolf pack emerges from the forest. Winter wolf with 2 dire wolves and 2 normal wolves

Dire wolves prefer to attack in packs, surrounding and flanking a foe when they can.

NORMAL WOLF

Winter Wolf

This creature looks like a white wolf with icy blue eyes. It stands as tall as

a horse, and its breath smokes with cold.

Dangerous predators of the tundra and other chill regions, winter

wolves pursue prey relentlessly. They rarely give up the chase until

they bring down their quarry.

Winter wolves are more intelligent than their smaller cousins

and sometimes associate with other evil creatures of their cold

homelands, such as frost giants, whom they serve as scouts,

hunters, and trackers.

A winter wolf grows about 8 feet long and stands about 4½ feet at the shoulder. It weighs about 450 pounds.

Winter wolves can speak Giant and Common

Winter wolves typically hunt in packs. Their size, cunning, and formidable breath weapon allow them to hunt and kill creatures much larger than themselves. A pack usually circles an opponent, each wolf attacking in turn to exhaust it. If they’re in a hurry, white wolves try to pin their foes.

Here's where I kept notes for a skill challenge in which the players must climb to the top of a precipice.

Mountain climb

A towering icy precipice looms before you.

Climb 10

Balance 10

Jump 15

Knowledge (Nature) 10

Survival 10

The letters below are shorthand that I used to track the progress of each PC up the cliff face, using the first initial of each character.

F

T

V

D

CHAPTER 2

Here I threw together a couple of wandering monsters to make things a bit trickier in case it was needed.

Random encounters

1 Winter Wolf

1 Frost salamander

Here's another big set piece in which I wait until the players enter this abandoned shed and find a hostage before having the baddies lock them inside and set it ablaze. A neat little encounter for which I created some werewolf druid enemies who specialized in all sorts of fire magic. Like the iceberg and wolf encounters before, this one also had a map sketched out for it, and turned out really well as the players were forced to come up with ways to break out of the inferno and face their enemies.

Werewolves lock heroes in building and set it on fire

Outside: 2 werewolf warriors, 1 werewolf druid

Marshal D’lan

http://www.dmtools.org/details.php?id=1295

Allocating XP is a task which I sometimes eschew entirely, but when I have a small regular group it is not that hard. Here is where I noted the XP values earned from the first session so I could reward the players with some solid numbers for their progress.

XP REWARDS:

All

1,500 xp for beating wolves

500 xp  

Loolipook

600 xp for riddle

Vitruvius

750 xp for RP

250 for wave

Dug

500 xp for RP

500

Taishi

500 for side quest

250 for cape antics

750

The yetis here were an encounter that I eventually did away with. The adventure was long enough as is, and it was only a half-done concept after all. Sometimes you've just got to trim material to keep things from running too long or ending up half baked.

Yeti Clan (4): Male and female yeti; CR 3; Large

monstrous humanoid (cold);

HD 4d8+4; hp 21, 22, 24, 25;

Init +1; Spd 40 ft.;

AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 13;

Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, 2 claws); Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5

ft./10 ft.;

SA constrict 1d6+6 plus 2d6 cold, improved

grab; SQ cold subtype, darkvision 60 ft.; AL NE;

SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 18, Dex 13, Con 12, Int

12, Wis 9, Cha 11.

Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +3, Listen +1,

Move Silently +6, Spot +1, Wilderness Lore +6; Iron

Will, Power Attack.

Right here I dropped in some fake latin magic words to use when the cleric cast his verbal magic spells. It added some fun flavor to the otherwise routine act of spell slinging:

Validus fluctus: Rogue wave

DO NOT BURN: HAUD EXURO

And here is where I found the stats for those custom werewolf druids and some fighters as well. A bit out of order, but I would reorganize my notes before the session itself. They seem helter-skelter in retrospect, but as long as the DM can easily access and read their material, they will serve their purpose well enough.

Werewolf druids

Hit Dice: 6d8 34 Hp          

Abilities:  

Human: Str 10 +0, Dex 14+2, Con 13+1, Int 12+2, Wis 16+3, Cha 8 -1

Hybrid/beast Ability Scores: Str 12 +1, Dex 18+4, Con 17+3, Int 12+2, Wis 18+4, Cha 8-1

AC:

Human 15 (+2 dex +3 armor) FF 13 touch 12

animal 18 (+4 dex, +4 natural) ff 14 touch 14

Speed: 50 feet

Initiative: +4

Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+4

Attack: +7 sickle 1d6

Full Attack:

Space/Reach:

Special Attacks:+6 sickle, +5 Claws 1d4, +5 bite 1d6, trip (animal form)

Special Qualities: DR 5/silver in animal forms

Base Saves: 7/4/4

Cha 8.

Skills: 50 pnt.s

Spot 7 listen 7 Hide 3, Swim 7, Move silently 3, knowledge (nature) 4, climb 3, concentration 7

Feats: Fiery burst, weapon focus (sickle), scent, low light vision,

Spells: Per Day 6/4/3

1. Magic fang, produce flame, bull’s strength x2 DC 15

2. Flaming sphere, barkskin x2 DC 16

Treasure:

Alignment: LE

Advancement:

Level Adjustment:

LVL 4 Werewolf Warriors:

Hit Dice: 4d10  , 42 hp  

AC: 14 (+4 nat AC)

Abilities: Str 16+3, Dex 13+1, Con 14+2, Int 10+0, Wis 12+1,

Cha 8-1

Initiative: +1

Speed: 50 ft

Base Attack/Grapple: +6

Attack: +9 bite claw 1 d6+3

Full Attack:

Space/Reach:

Special Attacks:

Special Qualities:

Saves: 9/5/2

Skills:

Feats: WF (Claw)

Spells:

Environment:

Organization:

Challenge Rating:

Treasure:

Alignment:

Advancement:

Level Adjustment:

This next encounter wasn't used, and I lost my notes for it, but having some additional configurations of enemy types is always useful for when the players do something unexpected or if the adventure needs more action to fill it out.

CHAIN GARDEN

Chain Devil

Chains

2 ice gargoyles

Overall, this was a neat little adventure that included lots of different encounter types and a very strong atmosphere of wintery melancholy and conspiratorial Lovecraftian menace. It set up a lot of plot hooks for future sessions, and equipped the players with tools they would need to succeed in later missions.