Daily posts coming soon.

I know yah miss me lol. Looks like you are going to get a bunch of toadstools rambling posts soon! It appears that today I'll be getting laid off for 14 days as I'm in a non essential service. Don't worry reader I have a bit of money saved and will hopefully get unemployment insurance. As to what I'll blog about, likely a setting idea, slowly fleshing it out. As well there should be a new pay what you want adventure coming in the next week.

In the meantime the Prince did a review on the kamareikos gazateer which is great https://princeofnothingblogs.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/review-gaz-1-the-grand-duchy-of-karameikos-dnd-basic/

Cheers

A few handy sites for running games

It seems that more than any other time in history we are talking about and playing games online.  I've noticed a few handy apps in the last few days that may be helpful to you and your players. 

https://tinydungeon.raphaelkabo.com/dungeon/jealous-loaf 

Tiny Dungeon allows players to map the dungeon while online.  Handy tip, tell them there starting point! I had this happen once on paper in a IRL game, and the player asked me for a new sheet as he was out of room! 

http://rolldicewithfriends.com/

Basically creates a small room online where everyone can see dice rolls.  

It seems there are a lot of theatre of the mind type games going on in Discord, and these 2 sites are defiantly helpful! 

Obviously roll20 and fantasy grounds are super helpful when running games.  I do have to admit having the roll20 interface that allows me to start adding maps and avatars, and all that jazz actually distracts me a little bit from just running a game.  I'll likely use discord and rolldicewithfriends next time.  And just have them create their characters in google drive or whatever.  I always do that with my games when I play.  Here's skord from Tims Game.

Speaking of Tim's game, Joe & Matt and Tim did a nice wrapup podcast from the year long campaign.  You can listen to it here. 

https://anchor.fm/gothridgemanor/episodes/Talking-with-My-Players-at-the-Edge-of-the-World-ebo33q/a-a1o4449

In Other News

I'm trying to do more writing on Wednesday's.  I'm almost done draft 2 of a Crimhuck adventure.  Should hopefully get that out in the next little while. 

I also started working on this map, which may end up being a campaign setting for my online games.  Its kinda of a mashup of greyhawk, mystara, and allansia.  I think I'll change the font as its not that readable. 

As Eric Bloat says "Show your work". 

So there yah go. 

take it easy kids! 

There's nothing better than this

The parties chips are down, nothing looks good, the future is bleak, the party turns to the Cleric looking for some kinda of miracle....... What does the cleric pull from behind the folds of their robes? 

1.  An orb of light that explodes doing 4d6 damage to any nearby evil creatures.

2.  A teleportation spell

3.  A very large very angry giant,  completely under the control of the caster. 

4.  A mystical rabbit imbued with a charm spell, all evil will follow it down whatever rabbit hole it chooses. 

5.  A torrential rain storm that washes away anything that apposes the party. 

6.  A grand illusion (save at -8) 

7.  Sweet oblivion, the party has been transferred to whatever heaven they believe in to wait out their days in bliss.  (Roll 3d6 in order). 

8.  Gravity decides to take a much needed break. 

9.  Time has rewound, start the encounter from the top.  (tippy! yes tippy top!) 

10.  TIME OUT! Get the GM some snacks.  Roll +4 to any checks moving forward. 

11.  Flash bang! everyone is wearing kilts, they gain an extra 2d8 hit points and add +2 to all attack rolls. 

12.  Everyone gains 200 gold pieces, you are richer, but still slightly in trouble.  

With a wink the Cleric realizes that she/he has saved the party and all will hopefully be well (until these fools get us in another predicament!). 

Get shit done mode

Egad I've spent far too much time doing nothing. Seriously nothing. Here I am again doing nothing. Well that's not true, I'm writing a blog that you are now reading. I am also procrastinating. I'm really fucking good at it. There are countless projects that I've referenced on this blog that never got completed. (in some cases not even started).

I just recently watched this video. (Eric Bloat and diogo Nogueira posted it on Facebook. It lead me down an amazing rabbit hole).

https://youtu.be/ZZLzI0CwhkA

+watch the whole thing. 

++watch it again. 

Which lead me to this video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtV-ugIT0k&feature=youtu.be

Finished not perfect! 

Fuck I wish I'd seen that years ago. Both videos hit me like a metric ton of lard! 

1. I've always been very creative

(with thats comes...)

2.  Being a fucking procrastinator.

3.  I've always compared my work to others. 

4.  It's a not about the product at this point for me, it's about getting started and finishing! 

What I need to do is put my tablet down, block the world out and have fun. 

But first I need a plan on getting it done. I've been excellent at giving advice to friends, just not great at following it myself. 

Non gaming friend who is an author "i really need to finish my book." 

Me:  what time does your wife goto bed. 

Friend: 9

Me:  what time do you goto bed? And what do you do in the meantime? 

Friend : 1am and nothing. 

Two months later he's got it completed. 

So that's what I'll do. As you know, I've been awfully quiet lately. Truth is, I've been busy, slightly bored with rpgs, looking for inspiration, finding the time  between studying, and generally keeping the worlds weight on my shoulders. 

I'm going to get shit done. 

Nifty things

Hey all! Sorry I've been basically MIA for awhile.  I suppose this will be the usual catchup/what I'm excited about/ramble post.

THE LAST GOD

First up, the "Last God" series from DC comics looks pretty cool.
https://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-last-god-2019/the-last-god-1

Since it was only released in October of last year, I figure I should be able to collect most of them without breaking the bank and feeling like I'm always behind.  By that I mean the issue with a lot of comic collecting is never really being able to collect the entire series because its been ongoing for so long. 

DC is also releasing a Fifth Edition campaign setting for the Last God which sounds pretty cool honestly!

https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/21/21075387/dc-comics-dungeons-dragons-book-the-last-god

Here's the blurb

The supplement, which will be published under D&D’s Open-Gaming License, expands on the setting of Cain Annun, as seen in the publisher’s recently launched Black Label series, The Last God. The book, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and drawn by Riccardo Federici, picks up 30 years after a group of adventurers defeated an undead horde, climbed an impossible mountain, and slew a god to save the world. When the same undead horde shows up again, it becomes clear that their victory may not have been as clear cut as their legend would tell.

BLACK PUDDING

The latest issue of Black Pudding has been released, and as usual James West knocks it right outta the park!  https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/303613/Black-Pudding-6?src=hottest_filtered


ZINE QUEST

Zinequest is in full force and Tim from Gothridge Manor's zine looks awesome and was like 1000% funded!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gothridgemanor/hunters-in-death

Hunters in Death: An Old School Hex Crawl, for this year's Zine Quest, is something that's banged around in my head for years. It's inspired by my campaign, mixed with new material. I use old school gaming philosophies, meaning  save vs. death is in play, and bringing home a buttload of silver is the best way to get xp.  

Also check out Dice Roll Zine#3 from our good friend Steve C at Hogtown games 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/steve-c/dice-roll-zine-3-zine-quest?ref=thanks-share

Dice Roll Zine is an old-school RPG zine that's chock-full of gaming goodness, brought to you by Hog Town Games. Dice Roll Zine #3 is written by Steve C of the The Borderlands blog and Dice Roll Zine Podcast and illustrated by some of the best old school-inspired artists around. Dice Roll Zine #3 currently stands at 40 pages, digest-sized, with a black & white interior and cover. The zine will be professionally printed and staple-bound with a card-stock cover.

3 TOADSTOOLS 

A whole lotta nothing! I dunno if my muse just up and left? Who knows.  I can tell you this, I've been having a wonderful time every monday night playing D&D with Tim and the crew.  For me that's basically all I want to do right now, just play games.  

I've done a bit of reading here and there, but honestly I dunno if I have anything left in the tank, writing wise? or if I'm just changing a bit.  That's probably it honestly. With my new job I've been spending far too much time playing music (which is a good thing).  I currently have G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome), which is similar to R.A.S. (roleplaying game acquisition syndrome), of which most of us suffer from.  

I did sell off that old les paul that I was going to fix up.  It had too many bad memories. 

That's about all I got for the time being. 

And so begins a mega dungeon

Just finished up my keep on the borderlands game.  I had two players show up this time.  They decided to follow a treasure map to some caves southwest of the Keep.   The map had been found on some dead brigands.  After a bit of travel across country they found the caves and entered.  Within the caves was a T intersection, the players decided to go to the east.  There they came upon a small bedroom with make shift old beds (behind a stone door).  All the while they were moving deeper and deeper underground.  South of the bedroom was a large set of stone stairs that lead down into a cavern.  Within the cavern the PCs found a few miners working away.  After a bit of sneaking around, they figured out the miners were Gnomes.  They introduced themselves and we role played out the scene.  The leader of the gnomes was "Haster", a nice fellow, far from home (2 days).  The PCs made  a deal to help the gnomes back to the village of "Moonglow", which is deep underground.

In return Haster was to tell them how to get to an abandoned dwarven settlement. 

We are currently playing BX, however I'm considering a switch at some point to S&W FMAG, as its just a bit easier for my brain.  Finding stuff in the bx book is a pain in the ass (I know, I know... use OSE!).  Also the roll20 sheets for b/x are not the best...... 

Here's what I am happy about!  1.  Had a really good game.  2.  Moved away from the keep (I just wasn't digging the monster hotel of the caves this time around) and 3.  I basically winged the first part of the megadungeon and loved every minute of it.   What lies beyond the gnomes mines? I have no friggin clue!  I'm going to work that out in the next week. 

PS Sorry I haven't been bloggin much.  Just been super busy.  The holidays came and went, and with that gaming got thrown out the window.  I should hopefully be able to post some play reports over the next few weeks.  Cheers!

Now I'm going to start working on the dwarven ruin!

Rituals for the thieves guild

Many organizations have some pomp and circumstance when getting together. Secret handshakes, code words etc. In Tim Shorts game recently we did a bit of a side quest,and met up with some members of the local thieves guild. Skord my character is a member of the guild and was also the "meat" of the local militaristic wing of the church.

When we met the thieves, Tim suggested I do a bit of world building.  He asked me to describe how I let the thieves know that I was a member.

Here's the steps. Now obviously only members will know them and do it in the correct order.

1.  I outstretched my arms with my wrists forward. Showing that I was a free thief.
2.  I pulled back my armour exposing my heart and chest, showing that I owed allegiance to the guild.
3.  I got down on my hands and knees and pulled out the dagger given to me by the guild. It has a gold filigree around the hilt. I stabbed the dagger into the ground.

Have you even came up with a secret ritual for your game?