Many thanks to my patrons, once again - you have unlocked all the full-resolution graphics under CC-BY-NC for anyone to use:
If you enjoy this or my other adventures, consider tossing a buck in my tip jar over at Patreon!
Saturday, 30 April 2016
The Sky-Blind Spire
Titardinal's Spire is an ordinary-seeming stone tower at the edge of a large, live-giving lake. Few borderlands towers are so well placed, and it has changed hands many times. Unfortunately, Titardinal wove magic into every brick of his tower, making it a difficult place to hold onto for long. But the wizard's loftiest ambition was never achieved—perhaps you will claim it!
Many thanks to my patrons, once again - you have unlocked all the full-resolution graphics under CC-BY-NC for anyone to use:
Many thanks to my patrons, once again - you have unlocked all the full-resolution graphics under CC-BY-NC for anyone to use:
Saturday, 23 April 2016
West Marches for Kids, Redux
As I'm sure I've mentioned, I run an annual World of Dungeons at a winter retreat for the families of my daughters' primary school. The first year, I sat at a table in the cafeteria with a pen and a roll of butcher's paper and drew a map.
It looked like this:
Before long, some kids wandered by, asked what I was up to. "Drawing a map," I said.
"What for?"
"An adventure role-playing game."
"What's that?"
When I explained it to them, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
"I wanna play!"
"Me too!"
"Okay, go and find a couple more friends, and decide where you want to go."
An hour later, we were all off to Raventree and the Doughman's Wood. The next year they did back-to-back sessions of Sorg Devours (The Coming of Sorg) and River's End (Though Flesh Be Vast).
This past year they explored the midden mine (Midden of the Deep) then hacked their way to the top of Tannoch Rest-of-Kings.
I started coloring the locations they've visited between games, and adding a few new locations for them to visit in the coming years, so now the map looks like this:
Running sessions for parties of nine eleven year-olds is intense.. I think I go through two bottles of water at a session just keeping my throat from drying out!
It looked like this:
Before long, some kids wandered by, asked what I was up to. "Drawing a map," I said.
"What for?"
"An adventure role-playing game."
"What's that?"
When I explained it to them, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
"I wanna play!"
"Me too!"
"Okay, go and find a couple more friends, and decide where you want to go."
An hour later, we were all off to Raventree and the Doughman's Wood. The next year they did back-to-back sessions of Sorg Devours (The Coming of Sorg) and River's End (Though Flesh Be Vast).
This past year they explored the midden mine (Midden of the Deep) then hacked their way to the top of Tannoch Rest-of-Kings.
I started coloring the locations they've visited between games, and adding a few new locations for them to visit in the coming years, so now the map looks like this:
Running sessions for parties of nine eleven year-olds is intense.. I think I go through two bottles of water at a session just keeping my throat from drying out!
Friday, 22 April 2016
One-Page Dungeon Contest 2016
The 2016 One-Page Dungeon Contest deadline is fast approaching. If you haven't heard about it, you're in for a treat. Every year the 1PDC collects a ton of creative submissions. Some are traditional D&D-esque fantasy, while others are downright zany.
Entries from previous years are a fantastic resource to dip into for some spontaneous gaming.
The prizes are great, but the best thing about it is an excuse to get creative and share your work with others.
If you're stuck for a map, here are three that I'm putting into the public domain. Fire up that copy of Scribus, put on a pot of coffee and get started! If you're stuck for a concept, head on over to Hill Cantons and give the Old School Module Name Generator a go. If you're stuck for the writing part, well, you're on your own. :)
EDIT: Please feel free to add comments with other usable map resources, such as the Donjon random map generator.
EDIT 2: +Dyson Logos has thrown down the motherlode with his free-for commercial use Commercial Maps list. Seriously, there's like fifty maps there!
Entries from previous years are a fantastic resource to dip into for some spontaneous gaming.
The prizes are great, but the best thing about it is an excuse to get creative and share your work with others.
If you're stuck for a map, here are three that I'm putting into the public domain. Fire up that copy of Scribus, put on a pot of coffee and get started! If you're stuck for a concept, head on over to Hill Cantons and give the Old School Module Name Generator a go. If you're stuck for the writing part, well, you're on your own. :)
EDIT: Please feel free to add comments with other usable map resources, such as the Donjon random map generator.
EDIT 2: +Dyson Logos has thrown down the motherlode with his free-for commercial use Commercial Maps list. Seriously, there's like fifty maps there!