Villain Playbook: The Benevolent Tyrant — Creating a Memorable D&D Villain
Last time in our Villain Playbook series, we went all the way to the end of the world with The World Ender, a villain who doesn't want a kingdom, riches, revenge, or even power. They simply want existence itself to come to an end. This week,...
Military Organizations: Fighting a War That Rarely Happens in Under the Dome
In a world where the Domes are scattered across the landscape, traditional warfare has become almost obsolete. Last week we wrote about religion without gods, now lets take this in another direction. That doesn't mean armies disappeared. Far from it. Every major city maintains soldiers, guards, scouts, pilots,...
What The Descent Teaches Dungeon Masters About Claustrophobic Adventures
There are plenty of horror movies that teach Dungeon Masters how to run scary monsters. The Descent teaches something much more useful. How to make the entire environment the monster. The creatures living beneath the earth are terrifying, but they aren't what makes The Descent so effective. The...
The No-Man’s-Land of the Veterinary Wing: Neutral Territory in Zoo Mafia
Last week in The Children’s Zoo, we explored the deceptively innocent corner of the animal underworld where appearances are everything. The animals there use cuteness, familiarity, and human expectations as their greatest defenses, proving that the most dangerous criminal isn't always the one who looks...
Aether Skies: Ancient Floating Ruins and Forgotten Civilizations
The skies of Aether Skies are filled with more than airships, sky beasts, and bustling sky ports. Every so often, a ship's crew might spot something impossible drifting among the clouds: the broken remains of a city that should have fallen centuries ago. Towers hang...
The Smarter Way to Keep Gaming in a Balanced Hobby Mix
The common advice to simply make room for more hobbies misses the useful point. A sustainable leisure life is built around contrast, not a packed calendar. Gaming can sit comfortably beside interests that change how you move, focus, create, or connect with other people. The popular consensus treats...
The Mirror of Narcissus: D&D’s Most Dangerous Reflection
In our last installment of Legendary Artifacts Reimagined, we explored the Cintamani, the legendary wish-fulfilling jewel capable of giving people exactly what they desire. The Cintamani presented adventurers with one of the most dangerous questions imaginable: if you could have anything in the world, what...
BattleZoo Eldamon Review: What If Pokémon Was Part of Your D&D Game?
I'll admit something right up front. For someone who has spent decades surrounded by tabletop RPGs, fantasy creatures, monsters, and all things nerdy, I somehow managed to largely avoid Pokémon. Sure, I knew what Pokémon were. I knew Pikachu. I knew there were hundreds of them. Then...
Religious Orders: What Do You Believe In When There Are No Gods? Under the Dome
For the people living beneath the Domes, the Chaos is real. The Domes are real. Grind is real. The ancient ruins scattered throughout the world are real. The spirits whispered about in the forests may be real. The ancestors who appear in dreams might be real. Gods? That is where things become...
What Mission: Impossible Teaches Dungeon Masters About Multi-Layered Heists
Last week we delved into Mad Max: Fury Road and how that can be just one mega Skill Challenge. And since skill challenges can be dramatic in heists, why not segue into a great source for heist inspiration? There is a particular moment that seems...
