I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
Sweet Seals For You, Always
dirt enthusiast
Stranger Things
Not today Justin
Discoholic 🪩
JVL
almost home
noise dept.
KIROKAZE
we're not kids anymore.
Andulka
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
Product Placement
Xuebing Du
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
⁂
Today's Document
Game of Thrones Daily
Peter Solarz
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@juniperdming
Hello ttrpg community! I’m a crocheter and dnd fan, so I’ve decided to open up commissions for my crocheted d20s. They’re $35 plus shipping, and I require payment up front to cover the cost of my time and materials. If you’re interested, please DM me (or email [email protected]) with your choices for the color of the dice itself and the numbers! I can process transactions through PayPal or Venmo.
(Ty to @soysaucednd for the photo!!)
Hello ttrpg community! I’m a crocheter and dnd fan, so I’ve decided to open up commissions for my crocheted d20s. They’re $35 plus shipping, and I require payment up front to cover the cost of my time and materials. If you’re interested, please DM me (or email [email protected]) with your choices for the color of the dice itself and the numbers! I can process transactions through PayPal or Venmo.
A hollow book used as a secret poison cabinet, 17th century
Our back catalogue of maps is coming to Roll20 and DriveThruRPG!
You can get our maps at these locations:
Roll20: https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/publisher/327/czepeku
DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/14209/Czepeku
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/czepeku
Hussein Bazaza “Amal” Fall 2019 Haute Couture Collection
Art by 三叠色 Size
Heroic Traits and Their Faults
Accepting – too accepting; willing to excuse extreme behavior
Adaptable – used to traveling from situation to situation; may not be able to fully adapt/live in a permanent situation
Affable – accidentally befriends the wrong sort of people; pushes to befriend everyone
Affectionate –inappropriate affection
Alert – constantly on edge; paranoid
Altruistic – self-destructive behavior for the sake of their Cause
Apologetic – apologizes too much; is a doormat; guilt-ridden
Aspiring – becomes very ambitious; ruthless in their attempts to reach goals
Assertive – misunderstood as aggressive; actually aggressive; others react negatively when they take command all the time
Athletic – joints weakened from exercise; performance-enhancing drug abuse; competitive
Keep reading
Vital for giving your characters flaws.
Yumikrum, The Countess, collage, 2018
Villains v.s Antagonists
A lot of people create a “BBEG” (Big Bad Evil Guy/Gal) for their d&d game with a cool backstory and a set of terrifying powers, and then call it good. In my view, this is a huge mistake. Your work is far from done.
Villains and Antagonists are a good opportunity to guide the party through an arc, and there should be a main antagonist for each arc of the story. Not every single one has to be an apocalyptic force set on destroying the world (you can save this for your BBEG), but every arc needs something for the party to be fighting against.
VILLAINS
Villains as we understand them in D&D are evil and have a nefarious plot that they are working towards. For example, in the Lost Mines of Phandelver, *SPOILER ALERT* the Black Spider is searching for an ancient forge that was used to make magic weapons. *SPOILER ALERT*
This is a good example of the concept behind villains. Their plans conflict with the party’s in such a way that they cannot complete their goal if the villain does. This can be scaled up to “the party wants to save the world and the villain is working to end it,” or down to “this kid is taking people’s lunch money and the party doesn’t want their lunch money taken.” In my d&d vocabulary, a villain is designed for the party to love to hate and to be a force for them to fight against and eventually kill. This is useful for many reasons, and a staple of high fantasy and d&d. A villain, in essence, is the manifestation of the time limit put on the party. If the party doesn’t get to their goal, they will lose their chance and an evil force will succeed.
ANTAGONISTS
Antagonists in d&d on the other hand, are more complex. Their goals still oppose or conflict with the party’s, but they are seldom evil and can be completely non-human. For example, in a game of survival d&d, the antagonist is the environment that the party is attempting to survive in. An antagonist is where a dm or a writer of any kind can have fun with moral ambiguity or making the party wonder what the right decision is. This is the main contrast with villains. Villains should be something that the party knows is bad and can work against guiltlessly (not much nuance in someone who is trying to release the wrath of the Nine Hells). An antagonist, on the other hand, can be someone who tends more towards an anti-hero than a villain. Or a politician that is working against the interests of the party. Or a king that is refusing to act against an imposing threat that the party must convince him to work against. In essence, an antagonist functions as a problem that needs to be solved for the party to reach their goal.
CREATING AN OPPOSING FORCE
When you are writing an arc of the story, you should have created a goal for the party to be working towards. Let’s imagine the goal for the current session is that the party needs to find a powerful magical entity in a community.
To create a villain, you need to find a similar (or the same) goal for them to be working towards. My first instinct would be that the villain would be someone who is looking for the same powerful magical entity to enslave and use as a weapon. If the party doesn’t find them first, then they will not be able to complete their goal because the villain has completed theirs first.
To create an antagonist, you need to take the goal and create a different goal that opposes the players. For this style of opposing force, you could make the powerful magical entity an orphan who is staying in an orphanage, and the antagonist is the person who runs the orphanage, and won’t allow you to take the child. This creates an obstacle that the party must get through before they can get the magical entity. And, in this situation, the villain will surely not be as accommodating to negotiation and cut down anyone in their way.
Michael Whelan, Edgedancer
www.artsytoad.tumblr.com
Player’s Guide: Dust of Appearance
Dust of Appearance
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
This fine powder appears to be a very fine, very light metallic dust.
A single handful of this substance flung into the air coats Objects and Creatures within a 10-Foot-Radius, making them visible even if they are invisible. The dust also reveals illusions, Mirror Images, and Projected Images for what they are.
Additionally, this Dust negates the effects of the Blur Spell until the Creature uses an Action to remove the dust from their body and clothing.
DM Commissions Open
Do you have a group that is interested in playing d&d for the first time? Is your gaming group without a dm at the moment? Are you an avid d&d player who can’t get enough of the game? Then this post is for you.
I have been dming 5e d&d for almost a decade, and in addition I have trained as an actor, director, fight choreographer, storyteller, and improv artist for quite some time. I am opening up commissions for d&d games over Zoom. I have limited availability, so I will be posting when I am full and no longer taking commissions. The different options available are listed below:
Dungeon Crawl: $30 (~$7.50 per player)
A combat heavy session that will last between 2-4 hours.
I will create a custom dungeon for your party to traverse.
I will work with the party on what kind of dungeon theme they would like.
Narrative One-Shot: $40 (~$10.00 per player)
A combat and roleplay balanced session that will last between 2-4 hours.
I will create a single session narrative arc for your party to play through.
I will work with the party on what kind of story they would like.
Short-term Campaign: $150 (~$37.50 per player)
A group of 4-5 sessions, a total of ~15 hours of game time.
I will work with the party on theme, world, and style, and craft a narrative arc.
I will work with the party on combat vs. roleplay balance.
Middle-Length Campaign: $220 (~$55 per player)
A group of 6-7 sessions, a total of ~21 hours of game time.
I will work with the party on theme, world, and style and craft a narrative arc.
I will work with the party on combat vs. roleplay balance.
Long Haul Campaign: $300 (~$75 per player)
A group of 8-10 sessions, a total of about 30 hours of game time.
I will work with the party on theme, world, and style and craft a narrative arc.
I will work with the party on combat vs. roleplay balance.
MORE INFO:
I will be running sessions on zoom with a camera for a battlemat. Not using roll20 is the way I can keep my prices as low as they are, adding on time for creating maps in the program would drive up my prices and I want to keep it accessible.
I will be providing free meetings with the party to determine what kind of adventure they would like to play, along with free session zeroes that include character finalization, world introductions, sample combat encounters, and sample roleplaying encounters. If you do not feel like I am a good fit for your group, you will not be charged for your wasted time.
I am willing to run a module for you, but there is no real way for me to predict how much it will cost until I do research on the module and if I do not own it I will have to add the cost of the book to my fee.
If you are struggling financially due to the coronavirus, but want to commission me, I can work with you on something that will work for your budget, but I do value my time spent preparing, running, and developing a storyline for a d&d game, so I will not provide my services for free.
Music of the PHB races
I saw a wonderful post by @noodledog that was talking about the music of different d&d races, and I wanted to make a post about my own interpretation of what kinds of music the races in the Player’s Handbook would write.
Dwarves:
The race of Dwarves is known for its courageous warriors, miners, and skilled craftsmen. They live for centuries, but not as long as elves, and have an unyielding devotion to culture and tradition. Their music is inspired by the ringing of pickaxes and the drums of ancient battles and heroic deeds that have been recounted through the ages through song. Dwarven music is percussion based and built off of layers of rhythm. Craftsmanship is valued in dwarf society, and that applies to their music as well, resulting in respect from all musical communities for their complex understanding of rhythm. When Dwarves sing, they tend towards classic styles of work songs like shanties and mainly sing in unison. Ships will often hire dwarves to lead their shanties because they are masters of consistent rhythm.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Elves:
Music is of paramount importance to Elven culture, with a series of ancient ballads and choral pieces chronicling their whole recorded history. With their long lives, composers have been known to spend upwards of seventy years perfecting their symphonies. Intricacy of melody and harmony is considered the height of sophistication, and Elven choirs and orchestras are an exciting event when they pass through towns of other races. Many notable Elven composers produced fugues, a style of music with a melody that interlaces with itself as it develops creating echoes through the score.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Halflings:
Halflings value the comfort and support of a community, and while they are not listed among the greatest composers or musical artists, even the stuffiest of guests in a halfling community will find themselves stomping along with a drinking song resounding through a tavern or an impromptu jam session around a campfire. Their love of new experiences has led halflings to combine elements from many different musical cultures, and this variability has led them to develop an eclectic style of music that mirrors how bluegrass developed in our world. The most popular halfling songs are jaunty and can be sung or played in large groups easily, but during times of grief even the most stone faced adventurer will shed a tear to the mournful songs of a halfling funeral.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Humans:
Humans are known as innovators and as an ambitious creative force. The traditions of the other races are more established, so humans will often train with musicians from other races, but will always bring their own spark to the techniques and pieces they create. Human music is a blending of the different styles that other races bring, and has been widely appreciated by all the races. The songs humans write cover any and all themes imaginable. They sing and play songs about love, war, disasters, adventure, and anything else that sparks their inspiration. Human sailors are prized for their ability to bring emotion into the songs they sing to the crew, helping bind the crew together.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Dragonborn:
The strict clan structures of the Dragonborn have specific places for music. Music is the way that the Dragonborn chronicle their clan’s history, and thus it must be protected closely. Individual families in Dragonborn clans are designated lorekeepers and are the only ones allowed to practice traditional music. Songs are passed down through the generations, and the family of lorekeepers is fiercely protected by the rest of the clan. The Chronicle is generally a ballad that outlines the history of the clan and teaches important lessons to the children. When members of other races are allowed into a performance of a Dragonborn Chronicle, the reverence and honor displayed in the music is something they can feel in the air.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Gnomes:
Gnomes and humans share a love of exploration and discovery, and have been known to create new and interesting instruments to experiment with. Their music tends to be instrumental and magically infused (creating a sound similar to the electronic music of today) or performed with an instrument of the gnome’s own making. Seldom will you find a gnome tinkering without music being played in the background either by magic or by a network of clockwork machinery that plays instruments hung from the rafters.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Half-Elves:
Half-elves will generally gravitate towards whichever culture they were raised in. (See Humans and Elves)
Half-Orc / Orc:
Orcs and Half-Orcs tend towards music that has a power behind it. Choruses of voices singing about displays of power or accompanying hard work appeal to them. Orc music is loud and forceful, and can be a force of intimidation in battle. Oddly, the music written by the Orcish races has found its way into popularity among certain groups of Humans, Half-Elves, and Tieflings who feel downtrodden.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Tieflings:
Tieflings exist on the fringes of society, and are often shunned or oppressed for their heritage. Their music is reactive and electric, bolstered by their opposition of the society that hates them and tries to sweep them under the rug and their innate ability to amplify and alter the sounds they make with the Thaumaturgy spell. Tiefling concerts are rare, and when they do happen are a spectacle. Clouds of darkness, flames bursting from the stage, and every instrument and voice amplified to near deafening levels.
Examples: (X, X, X, X, X)
Noonwraith by Helena Nikulina
Story Structure and Character Creation
People have different thoughts and feelings about how to create a d&d character, and I want to preface this with the universal fact that however your group has fun playing d&d is the correct way to play d&d, and what I say here is how I and my group tend to play.
Step one: The World
When I am making a character or starting to review characters during a session zero, I consider how the concepts fit into the world of the game. I consider the setting and the tone of the game before I even start thinking of a concept, let alone a class or race.
Questions to ask your dm:
What pieces of media did you draw inspiration from for this campaign?
What is the tone of this game?
What themes will the game be exploring?
What events in the world of the game could have created an adventurer?
Step two: The Group
The second step I take is considering the group as a whole. What kind of character would fit into the group? Which group members might have a character connected with them in a way? What kind of archetype does the group need?
Questions to ask yourself:
Is my character a team player? If not, how can I justify them being in a group and not hogging attention?
What is the group missing that is integral to the game?
Is there a major theme of the campaign that is missing from the party’s motivation?
Step three: The concept
Before you assign a race and class, make a character. Give them wants, needs, and desires. Motivations for adventuring. Connections within the group. A connection to a main theme of the story and a backstory that fits within the constraints of the world. You can add in the race and class here if that helps you build a concept.
Questions to ask yourself:
What does my character want and need? What desire pushes them forward?
What would they have to achieve to stop adventuring?
What worldview does my character have that relates to a major theme the campaign explores?
Is my character value themselves over others or others over themselves?
Who will my character probably connect with in the party?
Personal freedom or structured rules?
Step four: The Mechanics
Now do all that fun character creation stuff like rolling stats and choosing a class and race.
Conclusion:
In a narrative-focused game like my group plays, having this setup for character creation will allow your DM to easily incorporate your character into major arcs of the game due to how you fit into the setting, your party will appreciate the cohesion from connecting the characters and it will make for fun roleplay encounters, Your character will have driving forces behind their decisions and the choices you make will feel more grounded in reality due to your understanding of your character’s motivations, worldview, and objectives.
P.S. NPCs
For you DMs out there, a condensed form of this formula is also helpful for making memorable NPCs. My process for making any of my NPCs is the “A DOVE” method:
Appearance: What does the character look like? Are they striking or plain? (ex: Arthur Augefort in Fantasy High is a dark skinned, bald wizard with a long white beard. He wears a purple suit that matches his eyes and carries an umbrella. In front of his left eye sits a gold monocle.)
Demeanor: What kind of personality does the character have? Usually a single adjective. (ex: Lucretia in The Adventure Zone being calm and regal.)
Objective: What does the character want from the players? (ex: Mishka in NADDPOD wants the party to rid her town of the Barbarians who have invaded.)
Voice: What sort of voice should the character have? Not necessarily an accent, but deep or high voice? Funny or grounded? How does it connect with the Demeanor? (ex: Ipskix in Escape From the Bloodkeep with his exaggerated screechy voice.)
Eccentricity: What makes this character unique? It can have to do with appearance, it can have to do with their actions, or the environment that they occupy. (ex: Madam Musk in Critical Role *CRITICAL ROLE C2 SPOILERS* being three kobolds in a cloak.)
Plot structure in d&d
In my d&d games, I use a simple, three step system to maintain a cohesive plot structure. If you as a dm have been having problems with keeping your party on task or on track with your story, I would suggest giving it a try. It is most helpful when you are in the planning stages of the campaign, but you can implement it at any time to try to steer your party back on course.
Step One: The Archplot
The Archplot is your overall story. Decide what themes you want the game to explore. For instance, my game includes themes like patriotism v. idealism, war, democracy, and technological advancement. The archplot helps inform your major villains, the beats of the overall story, and what values you would like your players to hold to make a narratively satisfying game. My steps are usually: decide on a few themes that fit together along with related motifs, create major villains that fit with those themes and motifs, and decide the basic shape of the story including how the party will eventually meet each villain.
Step Two: The Arc
The arc is the next step smaller. This is the current problem that the party is attempting to solve over a series of sessions. The component parts of an arc are: a conflict of some kind, a clear goal, and some form of time limit. For example, let's set up an arc where a region is being overtaxed by corrupt government officials. The conflict is between the people and the officials who are robbing them, the goal for the party is to remove the officials in one way or another or to convince them to stop taxing the citizens so highly, and the time limit could be the law-keepers closing in on the small resistance group the party is working with. This creates a story that will capture the attention of the party (if they are open to your efforts) and give them a clear sense of direction. Usually, at the end of an arc you will give clues to the Archplot, usually in the form of hints towards the major villains.
Step Three: The Session
This is the smallest unit of measurement in the story of a d&d campaign. The session refers to each individual meeting of the party, and is set up similarly to an arc. A good session should inform the arc and be moving towards solving the conflict presented in it, while having its own conflict and problem to solve. Let's build a session in the arc we just used as an example! For the first session in the arc about the corrupt officials, let's say the party arrives at a town and witness law-keepers extorting from a man who appears to be sleeping on the street. This can be resolved by combat or by watching it happen. This will intrigue your players and they will most likely investigate further. Upon investigation, they learn about the corrupt nobles and meet an operative of the resistance. The rebel tells them about a plan they have to break into the castle and capture the noble family to give them a trial in the town, but before that can happen they need to create a major distraction for the guards at the castle so they won't be caught. They ask you to go and give out aid to the poorest citizens of the town in the meantime.
The first session should act mainly as exposition (or lore dumping) and introduces you to the arc's important NPCs and the party's goal. This will hopefully hook the party into a sense of obligation to help the people of the town. To make it feel less like lore dumping, throw in some minor combat and some fun minor NPCs to keep the party entertained.
FAQ:
My party just ignored my plot hook!
If the party ignores your plot hook, move to the next arc in the archplot, but there have to be consequences. For my previous example, if they remain unstopped, the noble family could return as a threat with now inflated wealth and influence. Perhaps gaining a coveted seat on a royal council and proposing anti-adventurer measures.
I didn't do this planning before my game, how do I weave it in?
I find the best way to weave this planning into a game is to introduce a villain with goals dependent on the players' failure. This will, in itself, create an arc where the players feel that they need to defeat the villain, and then you can plan the shape of it. Alternatively, I would also recommend using a "Gandalf" archetype NPC who can inform the party of an arc. Just be careful to make the NPC trustworthy if the integrity of your story depends on it.
How do I start off with this early in the game?
My main piece of advice is to give the players a clear goal for the first arc as soon as possible. For instance, the first major arc in my campaign was the party delivering a message to the king of the country while learning how to survive on the road as they went. The arc transformed them into teenagers from a small village into level 3 adventurers. After that, they will get a new hook for an arc as the first one ends. The other surefire way is to establish a middle to major villain right off the bat and make their goals clear. The party will then realize what they have to oppose.
