The Emerald Order is a mystic cabal that jealously guards the Emerald Tablets, upon which the secrets of the universe were inscribed by Thoth-Hermes himself. The most dedicated and driven members of the Emerald Order gain the opportunity to study in the order’s private libraries, sifting through books and scrolls penned by members past and […]
Secrets of the Emerald Order: Disciple of the Emerald Esoterica Read More »
Empire of the Ghouls is certainly a monumental achievement from the kobolds as the first hardcover-length adventure that spans 1st to 13th level and takes the players on a tour of Midgardian highlights before it delves deep into hitherto unseen realms as rich as they are dark. But the unwholesome feast on offer doesn’t end
Down in the Underground: Underworld Lairs and the Underworld Player’s Guide Read More »
It’s September, and everyone’s gaming! So here’s a blood-soaked set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. This month, we’ve got a piece from the forthcoming Scarlet Citadel (artist David Auden Nash).
Scarlet Citadel Wallpapers Read More »
Do you like classic-style dungeons? How about adventures from the creators of Empire of the Ghouls and the darkly fantastical world of Midgard? Well, sound all the bells, slide-whistles, and kazoos at hand because we’ve just launched our Scarlet Citadel for 5th Edition Kickstarter project!
New Kickstarter—Presenting the Scarlet Citadel! Read More »
Welcome back to this series where we dive into the world of Midgard and the magical currents of ley lines that course through it. If you’ve not had a chance to read prior entries in the series, you can find them here. Given that only one subclass (that is, geomancer wizards) can truly interact with
Midgard Ley Magic: Circle of the Living World Read More »
While consumables can have an effect on matters of balance in your campaign, let’s first talk about how they can change the overall fun-level of your game. Potions, scrolls, and other consumables are those things that linger. They linger on character sheets, and they linger in the backs of the minds of the players and
The 4th Pillar: The Consumable Conundrum Read More »
Been thinking a lot about the Exploration pillar in 5th Edition lately—and traps in particular. When you are adding combat scenarios to your game, it’s easy to understand why they’re there: bandits want to steal from the characters, demons want to spread chaos, and for beasts, they just want to defend their lairs. Similarly, it’s
Trapmaster: Finding Your Purpose Read More »
The first step of creating any successful skirmish is to set compelling stakes and objectives for that skirmish and to communicate them clearly to the players. The worst-case scenario for a skirmish is the players not caring about the outcome of the fight or not understanding what they need to do to effect that outcome.
The Art of Skirmishing: Why We Fight Read More »
In this post, we’ll get an in-depth look at another of the 13 Midgard icons: Vermes II, Exarch of the Wastes! EXARCH OF THE WASTES Exarch Vermes II is the most influential wizard in the Wasted West, a land riddled with mysteries and horrors. Leader of Bemmea’s Ninemage Council, the Exarch has made that city
Midgard Icons: The Exarch of the Wastes Read More »
Straight from the Editorial Director’s snout, the Dispatch provides a sneak peek at upcoming publications and projects headed from the warrens to gaming tables everywhere, so you’ll know what to watch out for. Greetings, scaly ones! Fall is almost here, and the buzz in the warrens has taken a decidedly red-colored hue.
Kobold Dispatch: September Edition Read More »
Alternate Traits and Actions The following changes allow GMs to alter a flame-scourged scion without modifying its challenge rating. Blight Burst (Recharge 6). The flame-scourged scion showers the area around itself with the ooze leaking from its skin. Each creature within 10 feet of the flame-scourged scion must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw,
Expanding Codex: Flame-Scourged Scion Read More »
Effectively running combat for one-on-one 5E is a major area of concern for many GMs. After all, the monster challenge ratings, player options, and adventure and encounter design guidelines all assume parties of at least four adventurers. When you play one-on-one, those assumptions don’t necessarily work. So how can GMs build encounters that are challenging
One-on-One Roleplaying: How to Scale Combat Read More »
Not only are some of the most popular movies, books, and other media devoid of “balance,” so are our lives. Sure Frodo and the Ring or David vs. Goliath is compelling, but even more so are the actual human stories we can read about on a regular basis. The odds are most certainly never in
The 4th Pillar: Adventure Isn’t Balanced Read More »
The warrens are abuzz today with some exciting news: there’s a new social media Kobold in our midst! Victoria Rogers takes the reins today on Kobold Press’s social promotions and initiatives, including on Twitter, Facebook, and beyond.
Welcome Victoria Rogers, Social Media Kobold! Read More »
In this series, we have chatted a lot about the philosophy of how to run and promote games. Today I want to talk about something genuinely fundamental to starting a successful actual play show: selecting a cast. Gathering a diverse and complementary group of players is absolutely vital to producing an experience that people love
Beyond the Audience: Looking for Group Read More »
Welcome back to Midgard Ley Magic, a blog series dedicated to the mysterious lives of geomancers and other ley magic spellcasters. If you haven’t had a chance to read prior entries in the series, you can find them here. This month we discuss ramag Ley Wardens and some of the ley magic abilities, items, and
Midgard Ley Magic: Secrets of the Ramag Read More »
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