Enthusiastic Amateur

Following on from Tuesday I will say that there’s one time in Dungeons & Dragons you should always include a trap; in an intro adventure. Intro adventures are cool beasts designed for new players to teach them the game mechanics, but also give them a feel for what the game is about. A good generic intro adventure will combine all the elements of Iconic Dungeons & Dragons; a meeting in a tavern, goblins, skeletons, an actual dungeon, at least one Rust Monster or Gelatinous Cube and, of course, a trap. Traps are, despite my distaste for them, a part of the fabric of D&D, and if you want to give your intro party a taster of the D&D the might recognise from TV then you better be prepared to throw one in there. So which one? On Tuesday I talked about traps having a negative impact on my own party’s play experience and the last thing you want to do is have someone’s first experience of D&D be them falling in a pit and struggling to get out. So, what trap...

[This post contains spoilers for Princes of the Apocalypse] A chubby hand formed into a fist, shaking, the knuckles swelling. Jolliver panted in the dark and cursed, spitting blood and phlegm. It wasn’t working any more. He had to be in control of it, it wasn’t in control of him. He flopped back on his bed, dropping the bottle to the floor where it failed to make the customary clatter. He frowned and sat. The bottle was on the floor, sat at an angle. The stone around it was warped, discoloured. He looked at the slab it sat on and saw the edge where it met the next disappear. His eyes were wide but it was already too late to scream. Our party are: David Maltman as Reed Tosscobble, Halfling Rogues Swashbuckler David Longbottom as Ulfang Strackhelm, Dwarf Cleric of Helm Amanda Hewitt as Eva Dawnfell, Human Monk Necromancer Amy Tan as Amber Frostbeard, Dwarf Fighter After the attack by the Water Cult the party moved camp and amongst a secluded copse of trees lai...

[This post contains spoilers for Princes of the Apocalypse] The wind was high this night, more so than usual, and Savra drew the shutters on her small cell, bound them tightly with the cord and bade goodnight to Hina, the half-elf who told her jokes and shared her fondness for Pasha in the stables. Tonight though she couldn’t help herself. Detachment had come easily enough to her. The dedication to take on something higher than herself, but tonight she thought of family and hissed a curse through her teeth at the Dwarf woman with the seafoam hair that had come at her father’s behest. ‘I am the breath of the heavens.’ She reminded herself with less certainty that on the nights before. ‘I ride the sky itself and raise all with me, by the will of Yan-C-Bin…’ Our party are: David Maltman as Reed Tosscobble, Halfling Rogues Swashbuckler David Longbottom as Ulfang Strackhelm, Dwarf Cleric of Helm Amanda Hewitt as Eva Dawnfell, Human Monk Necromancer Amy Tan as Amber Fros...

[DISCLAIMER: This post contains spoilers for Princes of the Apocalypse.] Part I can be found  hither . High in the mountains Feathergale Spire pierced a blue sky straddled by banks of white cloud, wind sighing through the crags. Eyes ringed by feathers considered the travellers as they approached. The smallest in the front, striding with his head up, the stout one behind him, eyes down. The girl looking at the sky and the clouds and last the lean man, out of place with everything. They watched and made note. Our party are: David Maltman as Reed Tosscobble, Halfling Rogues Swashbuckler David Longbottom as Ulfang Strackhelm, Dwarf Cleric of Helm Amanda Hewitt as Eva Dawnfell, Human Monk Necromancer Dak’kon of the unbroken circle of Zerthimon, a Githzerai and NPC Companion. Savra, the guard at the door of Feathergale Spire bade the party enter and they were escorted to the master of this place, the handsome Thurl Merosska. Reed introduced himself by his ...

[DISCLAIMER: This post contains spoilers for Princes of the Apocalypse.] Elven horns sounded in the distance as Reed Tosscobble, halfling swashbuckler, lies on his back. The bolt from his hand crossbow still quivers in the doorframe, the hulking Orc brute in the doorway snarls at him and then turns, fleeing the burning building into the night. Our party are: David Maltman as Reed Tosscobble, Halfling Rogues Swashbuckler David Longbottom as Ulfang Strackhelm, Dwarf Cleric of Helm Amanda Hewitt as Eva Dawnfell, Human Monk Necromancer Dak’kon of the unbroken circle of Zerthimon, a Githzerai and NPC Companion. We return to the Dessarin Valley and the ruins of the Delamon Ranch which was still aflame. By the flickering of the light the party are greeted by the Cavalry of High Forest who were summoned at the request of the Emerald Enclave following a message from Dreena, the Druid who earned much of Eva’s scorn, and some of her grudging respect. The survivors were ...