We brought the boats in and began unloading as the captain asked. Old man Jul went up the beach a ways to find a place to set the tents. We all laughed at first when he slipped on the rocks and fell flat on his arse, cursing and waving his arms. Now, Holm swears that …
This past fall, I pulled off the greatest and sweetest Diplomacy check of my life: I convinced the Department of English at Winthrop University, where I am an instructor, that a course on writing narrative for tabletop roleplaying games would make a great addition to the department’s writing courses. It so happens that my acting …
To earn a coin is noble work, to steal one a good trick, But the secrets of those who make the coin Are worth more than a gold brick. —Ravenfolk saying The Oath is a short fifth edition scenario that challenges four 2nd- to 3rd-level characters, and it includes the ravenfolk scout, a creature from …
Cartography by Anna Meyer The Mbazha Mountains serve as the spine between the arid Crescent Desert and the plains of Narumbeki, and this range holds untapped wealth and wondrous secrets. Rumors speak of the fell magics of the Skin Stealer gnolls (Southlands, p. 93) or the glittering riches of the Diamond Caverns (Southlands, p. 152). …
Part 2: Appealing to the Senses One of the hallmarks of a spooky or suspenseful RPG adventure is how the environment is described. Every part of the world surrounding the player characters should unnerve, unsettle, and frighten. One important trick gamemasters use to do this is to appeal to all five of their players’ senses, …
Don’t Look Now: Handling Fear and Suspense in Fifth Edition, Part 2 Read More »
The portraits that painters sell to patrons might be more than adventurers expect as they wander into a gallery or into a keep’s warmest common room. 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 …
Collection of Curiosities: What’s in a Portrait? Read More »
I’ve drank at the Inevitable three times. The first time was after the troll charge on Hearra Keep; a claw missed me by an eyelash and killed the warrior next to me. The second time was after surviving a shipwreck on the Little Daggers coastline; things in the water there would make a devil think …
The north road from Tomierau to the Ruins of Thorn is a treacherous stretch, nearly 300 miles long through the Tomierran Forest. Devotees of the Dark Gods inhabit the region, harassing travelers and the settlements along the road.
I am thrilled to bring more fun Prepared! scenarios to the Kobold Press blog. I am even more thrilled to include fantastic monsters from Kobold Press’ forthcoming Tome of Beasts. Each week I will feature a monster from the tome, and each week the challenge ramps up. Game on, sisters and brothers! —Jon There’s strange …
This installment is about deconstructing dragons. The Monster Manual contains 20 chromatic dragons, 20 metallic dragons, 1 shadow dragon, and 1 undead dragon. The Tome of Monsters and the Southlands Bestiary introduce several more. With all those stat blocks spread over three books, you’d expect to find plenty of variety—and you’d be right. But even …
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “Master!” “What is it now, tapewormlet?” “There appears to be some sort of ruckus …
Your Whispering Homunculus—A Dozen Obscure Village Feuds Read More »
Part 1: The Birth of Something Creepy When running a horror/suspense-themed game, you can have better results when player characters have something about them that makes them vulnerable: an element to their character that triggers a fearful reaction. It can be something as simple as a common phobia (spiders, heights, and so on) or it …
Don’t Look Now: Handling Fear and Suspense in Fifth Edition Read More »
The one called the Earthbinder often touches something inside her pouch when working her magic. But she has vanished, leaving only her pouch. What’s inside? 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 …
Collection of Curiosities: The Earthbinder’s Pouch Read More »
Those who have not yet experienced Richard Pett’s vile, whimsical, disgusting, bizarre, horrific, odd, skin-crawling, and mildly disturbed side of fantasy gaming now have a chance to do so through the Deal of the Day on DriveThruRPG. For a very limited time (today — and hopefully right NOW), you can snag 167 pages of essays, …
Adventurers who’ve done noteworthy service for the Grand Duchy are welcome visitors to the general headquarters of any army contingent on border patrol or on a campaign. Here they can rest, resupply, and exchange intelligence on their common enemies. Should adventurers arrive during winter, they can enjoy a more domestic and genteel welcoming. That’s because …
Grand Duchy: Significant Others at the Winter Encampments Read More »
The self-proclaimed icicle fey Sinthia crafts (or steals, according to some) things over the year and places them into icicles, which she then gifts to the villagers of Frostbite. If the adventurers happen to do a good turn for her, she might gift them with one of her extras, which she keeps aside for such …
Collection of Curiosities: Gifts of the Icicle Fey Read More »
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