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
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
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)
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)
When I was a child, my parents would often scold me for zoning out and daydreaming. I would lose myself looking out the window or up at the sky while taking our dog for a walk. I was enchanted by the depth of the sky, the way the clouds caught the light of the sun… Continue reading Talking about the weather
I've always loved studying different myths and folktales from around the world, and learning how these beliefs in the supernatural, magical, and divine help to shape our understanding of the world around us. Games like D&D offer a unique opportunity to explore these different perspectives within worlds where gods and powerful beings can reach out… Continue reading Worldbuilding: “By the Gods!”
Deryn found her words now, though her mind still spun with this new information about her mother, “What do you mean, has plans for me? I’m no Scribe…and how long has there been a temple here? How long were you and mother Scribes? Why have you lied to me all these years?” Her voice cracked… Continue reading Child of the Serpent (Pt VI)
“What do you mean?” She asked slowly, a strange feeling growing in her stomach. More silence. “Gran, tell me what you mean!” Silence, then a sigh. Renata eased her old frame, suddenly seeming tired, onto a nearby outcropping of stone and motioned for Deryn to join her. “My dear child, your mother wasn’t killed by… Continue reading Child of the Serpent (Pt V)
During our last Worldbuilding post, we explored some of the things that impact the development of a community's sense of culture and identity, like geography, how they transfer knowledge, and how they feel about other cultures. Today, let's look at the way different cultural norms and values are reflected in the language-- I don't just… Continue reading Worldbuilding: Culture and Language