“… and now from an opening on one side came a silent writhing horror that reared up and glared on the intruder with awful luminous eyes; a serpent twenty feet long, with shimmering, iridescent scales.” —Robert E. Howard, “Black Colossus” The days of high adventure are full of high-risk, high-reward situations. And nothing says “risky” […]
Snakes and Scorpions: Four Menacing Pulp Monsters Read More »
People revere deities by leaving offerings at appropriate altars. You can roll randomly for a result below, or use the handy number provided with each entry to figure out your result on a d12. You can also pick the one that works for the area in which your characters currently linger.
Collection of Curiosities: The Offerings at the Death God’s Altar Read More »
Who knew that grandmother’s stories told beside the evening fire were entertaining and contained elements of elf history? Did you ever wonder why warriors from Reywald and Donnermark often favored the warhammer, traditionally a dwarven weapon? And who doesn’t trust a resident of Salzbach to taste-test the contents of an unmarked potion? Players who create
Grand Duchy: Traits From an Elfen Kingdom Read More »
Recently, as part of an effort to teach skills that would be useful in designing video games, Todd Morgan Shirley embarked on a project with his daughter Reina Yoneyama Shirley: teaching her how to play D&D. Todd believes that beyond the fundamental game theory a player and/or DM gains from D&D there are numerous transferable
Beyond Mapping: Building 3-D Gaming Environments Read More »
Welcome to the end of the Howling Tower hiatus—thanks for coming! The Tower has been silent for too long. During the past year, I’ve been so occupied with huge writing projects that no time or energy was left over for small ones. Lots of good things came out of the past year — Hoard of
Howling Tower: So You’re a Noob Read More »
The entertaining wizard might leave you with some lasting impressions—and perhaps even some strange little items. You can roll randomly for a result below, or use the handy number provided with each entry to figure out your result on a d12. You can also pick the one that works for the area in which your
Collection of Curiosities: The Bard’s Haversack Read More »
You’ve made a great dungeon. It has riveting plot hooks, compelling challenges, custom-made traps, and all the atmosphere of an ‘80s goth music video. Now it needs few flavorful bits to finish it off. Prepared! is here to help with a worthy dungeon prop ready to drop into your spelunking masterpiece. The Enchanted Bookshelf Read
Prepared!: Dungeon Props Read More »
On this day, Friday the 13th, we have for you a list of curses you might wish to level at characters in your campaign. Whether the adventurers are digging into things best left alone or have angered someone who has the ability to gain an unusual sort of revenge that doesn’t involve actual death, you’ll
Curses for Your Campaign Read More »
Lobbies and foyers are decorated with the strangest things. If a local official or minor dignitary isn’t sure how to pay their bill, use the following table to add a little variety to your loot or let it serve as inspiration for a story hook. The value of the items can vary at the GM’s
Treasure Tables: Objets d’Art Read More »
The entertaining wizard might leave you with some lasting impressions—and perhaps even some strange little items. You can roll randomly for a result below, or use the handy number provided with each entry to figure out your result on a d12. You can also pick the one that works for the area in which your
Collection of Curiosities: A Wizard’s Prestidigitations Read More »
Of late, the Beloved Imperatrix tolerates much mischief and merriment in her court—a nod, perhaps, to the elf nation’s relation to the frivolity of the fey. So, it’s no surprise that among the most familiar faces at the Movable Feast these days are a clown soldier, a prized winemaker, and a philanderer of the forest.
Grand Duchy: Familiar Faces of the Movable Feast Read More »
Let’s face it: sometimes you need a tank and you just don’t have one in the party. Whether you’re looking to hire a few meat shields or trying to ensure that you have a vital role covered in a smaller-than-average party, hirelings are a way to shore things up a bit. Hirelings are designed to
Hirelings in Peril: An Option for Your Fifth Edition D&D Game Read More »
That strongbox in the alchemist’s quarters is truly enticing. What’s in it? You can roll randomly for a result below, or use the handy number provided with each entry to figure out your result on a d12. You can also pick the one that works for the area in which your characters currently linger.
Collection of Curiosities: The Alchemist’s Strongbox Read More »
From the first time I sat down to play Dungeons & Dragons, I knew my love of the game would always stem from the roleplaying aspect, from the quirky dialogues to the less-than-stellar Stealth checks through an unsuspecting NPC’s home. For some, D&D is less about combat and more about what ridiculous fun or laughter
Adorable Creatures: Garden Gnomes Read More »
Sometimes hacking and blasting a monster to pieces is unavoidable. If you have too much of this sort of thing, though, players can get caught in a rut; every challenge becomes a combat and they miss out on the fun of…not murdering things for loot. Kill him or help him, today’s Prepared! scene brings you
Prepared!: The Unhappy Giant Read More »
Priceless is really just another word for extraordinarily valuable. If someone ever tries to tell you that money is no object, use the following table to add a little variety to your loot or let it serve as inspiration for a story hook. The value of the items can vary at the GM’s discretion but
Treasure Tables: Priceless Artifacts Read More »
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