This is based on and extended from a description I wrote for a new campaign starting in Akorros in the Republic of Darokin. It has extended my development of Akorros, so I thought it was worth sharing. It’s a cold, grey autumn day in mid Sviftmont, about mid-morning, and you’re in Redcliffe Market on the … Continue reading Developing Akorros – Redcliffe Market
Last week, DM David wrote about the problems caused in D&D with monsters who run or surrender, given that you then have to account for them and what will happen as a result, and characters will tend to give chase, or start interrogating/torturing the captives, and so it’s just simpler if you let the fight … Continue reading How do the monsters react?
I have recently been developing some of the immortals in my version of Akorros, and so I have been researching the canon. One Immortal particularly pertinent to Akorros is Khoronus, patron Immortal of Akorros, and with his main temple based in Akorros – I have placed it on the southern tip of the island in … Continue reading Developing Akorros – Khoronus and Chardastes
I will return to the theme of disability and prosthetics next week, but for now here’s something completely different which has been brewing for a while. Regular readers of my blog will know that I started off playing D&D in the 80s with the BECMI boxed sets and Mystara gazetteers, then had a long break, … Continue reading Has magic become too ubiquitous?
"I'm going to chat up the barmaid. I roll Persuasion - look, it's a natural 20. I get her to come outside with me, and then I kill her and I get a free attack because she's surprised because I rolled that natural 20."Summary of incident at early session run by my son When I … Continue reading A history of skills in BECMI
The RPGaDay2020 prompts in a map by dunroaminpress Yesterday in RPGaDay2020 we looked at the flavour of potions and differences between versions of D&D. Today the theme is Close. Let's look at another difference between editions of D&D. Specifically the close shave. Those moments when characters almost die, but manage to survive. Back in the … Continue reading RPGaDay2020 Day 28: Close – close shaves in BECMI and 5e
The original RPGaDay2020 prompts graphic by @WillBrooks1989 Yesterday in RPGaDay2020 was about Strange and striking the balance between novelty and framework. Today we look at Flavour. I have to confess this is something I'm not very good at describing. I usually fall back to what the characters see; I should get better at using the … Continue reading RPGaDay2020 Day 27: Flavour – what do potions taste of?
Plenty. That's the inspiration for day 18 of #RPGaDay2019, following One yesterday. How often do we consider the implications of things being plentiful? I know D&D isn't meant to be an exact simulation of the world and that's one of its strengths, but anything common becomes inherently less valuable. In the BECMI days, 80% of … Continue reading RPGaDay2019 Day 18 – Plenty
One. That's the inspiration for day 17 of #RPGaDay2019; normal service is resumed following my Dream yesterday. You may have gathered I've been around a while, and started with the Red Box Basic Set. And I am torn between the old style and the new style. One innovation since my time of which I whole-heartedly … Continue reading RPGaDay2019 Day 17 – One
For day 9 of #RPGaDay2019 we get critical, following Obscure yesterday. When I started with BECMI, there was no concept of critical rolls - no critical success or critical failure. My friends played AD&D, so I'd hear them talking about a critical hit and wonder what this was. Fast-forward 35 years to 5e. It's there … Continue reading RPGaDay2019 Day 9 – Critical
