have session 0 set up for saturday evening for my first stab at DMing (an online campaign of #DnD Waterdeep: Dragon Heist) and every passing day I am more excited and slightly nervous for it
I remain looking for a #DnD campaign, not using Beyond, to test out my Conscript subclass. It was designed using 'tired soldier' and similar tropes about losing found family in a post-service environment and then returning to the duty greater than yourself.
I'm staring at open tabs for tactical gear that I do not need. I'm an old soldier (peacetime), but there is still an ache to be that person I was, to regain the lost skills, lost body, lost friends more than the rest.
Maybe I'll be able to explore these feelings as a player in a #DnD campaign, because exploring them in reality is harder than I want.
These feelings are slightly captured in my favorite short story
So, since JoinMastodon.org has decided to change the way servers are listed on their website — showing preference for large servers who do not have a manual review process to join —>
May I ask that you Boost this post so people can find us at https://mstdn.games ? :1up: :boost_ok:
We’re an all-inclusive #gaming community and our Local feed is amazing — absolutely the go-to place for all things #Games. Our Mods are top tier.
Die #DnD-Newsletter-Anmeldung auf https://dnd.wizards.com/de funktioniert grade nicht. Das wäre nicht weiter schlimm, wenn der Download für "Die Verlorene Mine von Phandelver" nicht daran gebunden wäre 😨
Damit ihr den kostenlosen Einstieg in #DnD trotzdem haben könnt, haben Wizards mir erlaubt die Direktlinks zu teilen:
The trope that starts every Dungeons & Dragons campaign is “So, you meet in a tavern.” Which is fitting. For most campaigns start with a diverse group of characters who don’t have strong connections throughout the group. They are a cross-cultural, cross-class, cross-Class, cross-everything group that wouldn’t meet at most places in the medieval-Renaissance-ish fantasy world that is D&D.
But the tavern, via the trope, has become a third place. It’s not home (though it often becomes that). It’s not work (though it often becomes that). It’s the place between. And these places between are frequently where subcultures within a society connect.
Various cultures have had different third places. For modern America it is now the coffeeshop and used to be bowling alleys. In the Ottoman Empire in the classical age had its cafes, where philosophy, music and political debate occurred.
In New England during the American Revolution public houses were the gathering point, for many at that time the first place was a co-located home with work and the second were churches.
The Greeks gathered on the steps of temples. Finns and Russians gather in bathhouses.
Sporting venues have been third places, before they became economically stratified. Travelling carnivals and festivals can be a third place.
No matter the type of third place, it tells you a bit about the culture.
Using third places as a character backstory tool
When creating a PC think about the place where you mingled with peoples unlike you. Where did your dwarf first meet an elf? Where did your farmer first meet a noble? Where did your follower of Lathander meet an unbeliever?
This decision will help tell you about your own history.
It will connect them to a place and associated behaviors that aren’t mechanics, but are fuel for the social pillar. Their own stories about a trip to watch a great debate between philosophers, a visit to the library, or the type of ale they enjoyed at the pub are stories that add more depth to the shared story that is D&D.
Adventurers have the place where they sleep (a cave, a cove, an inn), the place where they work (dungeons), and the places where they spend time meeting strangers with odd quests. Once they start their adventure they have the third place that was cross-cultural communication when they were growing up and now the place between — and that’s up to the whole party of different peoples.
Using third places as a world building tool
Dungeon Masters generally are more active in creating the world. There are a few ways they can use third places in that world.
Collect each players’ third places in your notes. Give them the opportunity to revisit them in new lands.
Start the campaign at the typical third place for the origin culture of the campaign. “So, you meet on the steps of the temple.”
When the group comes to a new land and looks for their comfortable third place (the tavern) demonstrate how that locale is different from their expectation and what the unfamiliar culture would use as their non-stratified place that welcomes outsiders.
Use maps of abandoned third places to show how different the older ages were from the one in which you campaign.
Have an NPC name-drop their favorite third place. This can show how they are familiar to most of the group, or different. Each NPC can have their own place, they should!
Have two third places in the same town share similarities but still be unique beyond their name. Maybe the Rusty Clam is a working pub and the Silver Nail is for the merchant class — and yet the players are welcomed at both.
These are flavor elements, but flavor is story in D&D. And story is what tables build together, usually because Dungeons and Dragons is now our third place.
In the World of the Everflow all dragons have hoards. At this point of Uprising and Rebellion the group has met those that hoard books (paper dragons), jewels and fine art (jaculus), animal companions (black dragons) and strife (blue dragons).
Heading towards the final faceoff with the great wyrm blue dragon there’s a desire to connect the size of the hoard in that Wyrm’s sphere of influence to its power – subsequently allowing actions by the players to reduce the hoard.
This will be done by combining the Legendary Resistance and Legendary Action pools. Legendary Resistance will still be a use and lose item while Legendary Actions will be regained at the start of the dragon’s next turn. A pool of physical objects will symbolize the size of the pool. This will represent the intelligence the group learns about the Wyrm.
The Blue Wyrm currently resides in the mayor’s palace, having thrived off the strife caused by the rebellion and the Mayor’s corruption. But the heroes have shown that their rebellion is built on hope, a less stratified society and a city capable of trade again. Now just three dragons stand in the way of freedom, possibly.
Things the characters could do to reduce strife;
Healing, feeding Kirtin-on-the-Lake’s residents
Freeing animal companions bound to Shadow and Darkness, the two black dragons
Increasing trade of desired goods within the war torn city
Establishing a popular governance path after the Mayor’s abdication
Reducing the size of the 7th Fleet encampment outside of the city
Teaching utility cantrips
I’m certain the party will surprise me with other ideas.
Things that can increase strife;
War with the 7th Fleet
Teaching more attack cantrips
The Mayor reclaiming the seat of government
Open battle in the streets
They will again surprise me with ideas that create a less peaceful city.
The Wyrm is going to start with five legendary points in the penultimate session for this story arc. The session will be split between the plan to pick the territory of battle (palace, tunnel, cave) and preparations that could include reducing the Wyrm’s power.
This tweak to the standard rules should connect a social session to the grand combat ending the Wyrm’s arc.
#introduction. Hi folkes! I'm a writer, board game designer, and carer currently living in Tasmania. I enjoy connecting with other writers and designers, but mostly I'll be posting memes, writing prompts and ttrpg stuff.
recently re-jigged the season 1 Dungeons and Daddies art for print purposes. it’s been a minuet but working with these guys has been SUCH a trip. any fans of the show over here on mastodon?
I tend to discuss:
🎨 Any #craft or 🧶 #crochet project I'm entangled in
🥋 Goings on at #aikido
🐶 Happenings at #dogtraining that I volunteer at as a trainer
🦊 Lots and lots of #corgi spam
At the moment, #CallOfCthulhu is the #TTRPG I play the most—it accounts for over a quarter of my hours at the table, and I currently play in two weekly campaigns, as well as frequent one-shots.
Since I began roleplaying, though, it'd be #DnD, though which edition I've played most is an open question: #BECMI, #ADnD1, #ADnD2, or #DnD3e. (I've not played nearly as much 0e, 4e, or 5e, though.) #gtkm