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Continuing with yesterday’s musing that wizards who become friendly with one another probably gift each other weird shit, I think it would be on-brand for Nezznar, a native of the world below, to gift wrap a token of the underdark, slap a bow on it, and hand it to his pal from the world above,…
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Wait, WAIT…hold up. Let me get this straight: the characters are about to explore the cellar of an ancient ruined manor where: It’s times like this I wish I wore glasses, just so I could take them off, rub the bridge of my nose for a long, dramatic pause before looking to the game designers and…
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Imagine you’re a Redbrand ruffian named Farmer, guarding captives in the holding cells below Tresendar Manor. You’re half-way through your dinner of salted pork and apples, wondering what you’re doing with your life when you go for a pull of your waterskin and find it empty. That means a trip to the cistern. Dammit. Drawing…
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Tresendar Manor’s cellar has a lot of opportunities to have some fun with lightly used combat mechanics. If you want this encounter to go beyond a hack and slash race to 0 hp, consider some of the following suggestions below: Somebody to shove. The ruffians are the pushy type. Lean into that with special attack…
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It’s Friday night and my kids are on the slopes, giving me an opportunity for a good long sit at the lodge with Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk (over $8.00 macaroni & cheese that looks and tastes like an ochre jelly). Chapter 1: Welcome to Phandalin has character hooks tied to backgrounds, and I’ll…
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Bowgentle’s Book is certainly worthy of a quest. This tome is an absolute treasure hoard of arcane magic. A dragon should be sleeping on top of it! Egads! This spellbook contains 50 (FIFTY!) spells, from cantrips to 6th level spells. Can you think of any other loot drop in a published adventure that approaches that…
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Constant companions, it’s hard to imagine one without the other where Ander and Thistle are concerned. Trusting and good-natured (but hardly the sharpest knives in the drawer), Barthen’s boys have a knack for stumbling headlong into dangerous adventures in which they are oblivious to their mortal peril. In their most recent adventure, the boys have…
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So yesterday’s deliberation on language got me thinking: for adventures that take place along the Triboar Trail, what’s the optimal language choice to suggest to a player at character creation? Let’s delve through Lost Mine of Phandelver, Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, and Dragon of Icespire Peak to see what we discover. *WARNING: SPOILERS*…
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A communication between two wizards with a combined Intelligence score of 33, discussing clandestine surveillance and a plot to abduct and murder strangers in the commission of a robbery. Written down on paper in the common speech, in which one of the perpetrators is identified by his first and last name! Your Honor, I present…
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If you’re running Lost Mine of Phandelver, and the bookish character in the party has a scholar pack slung over their shoulder, don’t sleep on the contents of the pack: Scholar’s Pack (40 gp). Includes a backpack, a book of lore, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, 10 sheets of parchment, a little bag of sand,…
