Adventurers Wanted
The seasons are turning and, once again, the poppies are in bloom. These vibrant red wildflowers dot the English countryside and peek over the sides of the pavement every year, beautiful and delicate with their paper-thin petals, inspiring art and stories everywhere they bloom. Here are some of my favourite poppy stories from myth, folklore,… Continue reading Poppies
One of the most exciting moments in any new RPG is the start of a new campaign: you have a new world, new characters, and a new story full of excitement and possibility. You have gathered your party and are ready to begin your saga, each adventure more exciting than the last, with challenges around… Continue reading Balancing Act: Campaign Prep
D&D has a lot of options for customizing a character with different abilities and personality traits, but not as much as far as built-in mechanics go for role-playing said character. At the end of the day, D&D was originally a monster hunting/sword and sorcery game that eventually adopted a more narrative focus in the most… Continue reading Game Mechanics: Character Growth and Social Engagement
As they walked, Derryn stole glimpses of some of the small rooms along the hallway-- mostly sleeping quarters, though she saw what appeared to be small studies every now and then, with figures hunched over simple writing desks. None of the figures looked up to mark the group’s passing, instead engrossed in the ink and… Continue reading Child of the Serpent, Pt IX
There are a LOT of rules in D&D and other TTRPGs, so the thought of adding more rules and stipulations doesn't exactly seem enticing...but if you've followed this blog for a while you'll know that our approach to the game is a bit more fluid. I'm not a fan of sticking strictly to the book,… Continue reading House Rules
It's time for another Iyastera lore post!! This one details a criminal network within Tashkil-- perfect goes for those cunning and resourceful party Rogues (or College of Whispers Bards) who like to have connections across the kingdoms. The Shabaka is a network of thieves and information brokers in Tashkil, are used by politicians and nobles… Continue reading Factions of Iyastera: The Shabaka
The doors opened to reveal a hall much larger than she expected, adorned with metal sconces, tile mosaics on the walls, and pale cobbled stone on the floor, replacing the hard earth from the tunnel. Most remarkably, however, was what she saw in in the center of the hall: a long stone walkway that led… Continue reading Child of the Serpent (Part VIII)
Role playing can be intimidating, especially when you are trying out a new character! They have a whole new backstory, personality, voice and bearing compared to your own, and if you're not accustomed to acting (like me), it can take some time to find the role. Once you do, though, the ability to explore the… Continue reading Getting into Character: Role Playing Tips
Wordlessly, they finished caring for the horses and set off deeper into the caves, moistness from the cave eventually giving way to dryer stone tunnels that wound deeper into the earth. This is farther into the hills than I’ve ever dared to come, who would have known there was a network of caves out here…she… Continue reading Child of the Serpent (Part VII)
On Monday, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Adam J. from Game to Grow, a Seattle-based organization devoted to helping children develop healthy inter- and intrapersonal skills through therapeutic RPGs! Adam and co-founder Adam (yes, they're both named Adam) embarked on this journey back in 2013 when they decided to combine their experiences in… Continue reading D&D for Kids: Game to Grow