Tag: Dungeon Master Tools

Fantasy Timespans I – The Fury of Ten Thousand Years

On By AnathemysIn MiscellanyLeave a comment

“One of these days we’re going to have to talk about how ridiculous time scales are in fantasy. Ten thousand years is more than you or I could ever hope to comprehend and that is a threat.”

And now, that day has come. Thankfully before ten thousand years had the chance to pass and turn all that I know and love into dust.

Essentially, today we’re going to discuss time in fantasy fiction. Our first point is on the sheer absurdity of most fantasy time scales. Next time, we’ll look at how to rationalize different mortal lifespan lengths into a narrative.

So without wasting further time… let’s begin!

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Late Review – Al’Qadim, Arabian Adventures (Part 2)

On By AnathemysIn Brewer's Tools, D&D Homebrew, Late ReviewsLeave a comment

Last time, we looked at the entirety of Al’Qadim: Arabian Adventures except for one thing. Today, we look at that one thing: the sha’ir.

“Why wasn’t this a class? How is this a wizard?”

Those are the first of my notes from reading about the sha’ir. Things only went downhill from there. The sha’ir is maddening.

So without any further wait, let’s go!

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Dungeon Designs – The Living Vault, part 2

On By AnathemysIn Brewer's Tools, D&D Homebrew, Dungeons, MonsterLeave a comment

Welcome back to Dungeon Designs and our discussion of “The Living Vault” – a dungeon which aims to feel more alive than any other in existence. Last time, we went over the basic stats for the Living Vault as a creature and an active participant in players’ dungeon crawl. This time, though, we’re going to be focusing more on the actual “dungeon” aspects of this concept.

And don’t worry – anatomical expertise is not required because I sure don’t have any.

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Dungeon Designs – The Living Vault, part 1

On By AnathemysIn D&D Homebrew, Dungeons, MonsterLeave a comment

Recently I’ve been brainstorming a new concept for a dungeon. Not for any particular reason – I just think it sounds cool. But I wanted to discuss it here to show off my method for making dungeons, which should be informative, entertaining, and/or horrifying.

That last option is primarily for people who have played in my games, who will presumably come away from this thinking “what the hell man, that’s how you came up with this nonsense?” To which I say… sometimes.

Other times I’m just sort of winging it.

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Common Knowledge – The Facts of Unlife!

On By AnathemysIn Common Knowledge, D&D HomebrewLeave a comment

Oh no, it’s a skeleton! What do you do?

Well, if its just a skeleton then Turn Undead should be fine. But it could also be a particularly decayed lich, so that’d be bad news and you should run. Is it solid? It could be some sort of skeletal specter or something. And hey, does anyone actually know what mummies look like under all those bandages?

It could be anything! But no worries, it just killed you. Looks like it was a lich after all. Now are you going to come back as a zombie, or would it be more of a ghoul or ghast situation…?

Click through below to learn all about the common knowledge of undead!

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Common Knowledge – Roll-Enforced Metagaming!

On By AnathemysIn Common Knowledge, D&D HomebrewLeave a comment

Recently, my home game encountered a mind flayer. It’s a new campaign, and so far everyone is 1st level. Regardless, we all obviously know a mind flayer when we see one. It’d be hard not to!

But our characters are still 1st level. Would they know what an illithid is? And if so, how? I’ve read the mind flayer statblock a million times, but why would my sheltered young noble alchemist have even the slightest clue? Shouldn’t it just be a weird gross purple thing with tentacles?

There’s always been solutions to this, but it would be nice to have a more… specific sort of answer. So, to get to that, click on through below and learn all about common knowledge!

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