What are Kender? Kender are a race of humanoids native to the world of Krynn in the Dragonlance campaign setting. The origins of their species is hotly debated among the peoples of Krynn, though a selection of scholars have come to a tenuous agreement on the subject. Kender, alongside their distant dwarven cousins, where created … Continue reading Let’s Talk About Kender
So there are dragons... and lances. Is that it? Heck no! The story of Dragonlance is EPIC. It spans an entire continent at war and the outcome of that conflict determines the fate of the entire world. It was probably best summarized by Joe Manganiello as the Star Wars of the Dungeons & Dragons. It's … Continue reading What is Dragonlance?
I've wrestled with my next article for the last couple of weeks. Watching events unfold in the world today, I've found it very difficult to maintain mental focus as it relates to producing gaming content. Every time I sit down to finish my post about bringing new players into D&D, a new calamity is reported, … Continue reading In Times Like These…
So, maybe you're returning from the first article in my series on A Beginner's Guide to D&D, and you're ready to take the dive. Maybe you've watched a few episodes of people playing D&D on streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Either way, I'm going to give you some options on where to go next, … Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide to Dungeons & Dragons (Part II: What do I ‘need’ to buy?)
This time, the article is pretty dense, so I've included a few links (below) to quickly navigate to the main sections. Bringing People Together No Ordinary Game Game Run-times Characters That Grow Player Agency Theater of the Mind Tailored to the Group's Tastes Summary If you're reading this, you've somehow stumbled across Dungeons & Dragons … Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide to Dungeons & Dragons (Part I: The Basic Concepts)
Whether running games at a convention, weekly game store event, or in the comfort of our own homes, we all eventually fall prey to session sluggishness. Sometimes your players just can't seem to figure out what to do next, and they spin their wheels in futile pursuits. Other times, combat drags on for what seems … Continue reading Interrupt Indecision with… “Something”
Part III: Reflection or Unintentional Love Letter? So, now you know the history and uniqueness of Winter Fantasy, and have plumbed the depths of madness with me as I prepared for the show. The only yarn left to weave is the outcome of all my well-laid plans. Spoiler Alert: It was magnificent. I agonized over … Continue reading A Winter Fantasy Judge/DM Primer (Part III)
Part II: An Obsessive Compulsive Judge/DM's Guide to Convention Prep I've now come to accept that the worst part of Winter Fantasy is that it isn't Winter Fantasy yet. Much to my OCD dismay, Judges often don't receive the adventures they're scheduled to run until one to two weeks prior to the show. In some … Continue reading A Winter Fantasy Judge/DM Primer (Part II)
Part I: So, What's the "Big" Deal? Winter Fantasy is a gaming convention deeply seated in the lore and timelines of the tabletop RPG hobby. Chaired by David Christ of Baldman Games fame, it holds a very special place in the pantheon of gaming conventions. Under the comforting umbrella of "huge isn't always better," the … Continue reading A Winter Fantasy Judge/DM Primer (Part I)
The winds of winter sliced at the landscape of the frozen north. Its merciless assault hammered at the shutters and doors of every dwelling. Neither highborn nor common folk of the land were spared its merciless intrusion. Huddled within the confines of their abodes, they dreamed of the rebirth and warmth of spring and summer. … Continue reading The Dream of Winter
The Dwarven DM 