Sean Does Games

I love trinkets in Dungeons and Dragons! Whenever I run a campaign, I always have players roll on the trinket table during character creation. I also periodically sneak in trinkets as part of the payment characters receive for completing a job or as part of the loot the characters find. “But then what?” you say. "They're an empty purse. Count them, go broke. Eat them, go hungry. Seek them, go mad! " Part of the power of the trinkets concept comes from their descriptions, which tend to be brief, open-ended statements leaving more questions than answers. And where there are questions there is story. So I use trinkets to flesh out the character’s backstory, spawn expected side quests, inspire one-shot adventures, provide the foundation for story arcs, and even shape the course of entire campaigns. That’s right, trinkets can do all that. Don’t believe me? Keep reading. Character Backstory When a character starts a campaign with a trinket, it is de facto ...

Once again, I return to gnome NPCs. This one is a bit of a chaotic lad with an unhealthy infatuation for games of chance. Enjoy. Doubledown Waggletop (DOUBLE-down waggle-TOP) "Well, now. Why don't we let Lady Luck decide?" Doubledown (CN) is a charming, 111-year-old male chaos gnome who thinks nothing of betting someone else’s farm on a semi-sure thing. While Doubledown is quite good at collecting large winnings at a number of card, dice, and other games of chance, he is not primarily motivated by a love of coin. His love for gambling has more to do with an obsession for the intersection between chaos, luck, and skill, and for the exhilaration of beating the odds. That's why a vast majority of his winnings go to family members who have come to rely upon the somewhat consistent income he provides. He has learned never to overstay his welcome--especially when he’s surrounded by angry suckers with a pile of their coins on the table in front of him--but true to ...

Here's a new gnome NPC, just in time for your Christmas-themed Dungeons and Dragons adventures. She's a Celestial Toymaker living the tinker life in Bytopia. Enjoy! (As a side note, the drawing is inspired by the tinker outfit from Neverwinter Online. And for full disclosure, this is sort of my character in that game.) Breena Vardin (Bree-nah VAR-din) "Here now. Why the long face? I have just the right thing to cheer you up." Breena (NG) is a spritely, 240-year-old female rock gnome who manufactures unique and quirky magical toys for all ages. Her reputation is such that items bearing her maker’s mark are prized delights. She sells her fancier creations at various high-end markets throughout the land as specialty goods. Breena is also the current incarnation of The Tinker Cousin (see The Tinker Cousin below), a legendary gnomish figure known for delivering gifts from her flying broom to those deserving of or in need of a little joy. She keeps this aspect...

It's been a while since I last posted an NPC for you guys. So, here's one I put together. I can't believe it's not a gnome, but alas I must follow inspiration where it takes me. Enjoy. Cloudskipper (CLOUD-skipper) "(To The Flitting Crow ) Schwiiinnng! Crsssh. Don’t worry, she’ll hold together. Rooo-aarr. Eeee. You hear me, baby? Hold together. Boom. Boom. Boom.” Cloudskipper (CN) is a flamboyant, 25-year-old, male kenku who craves outlandish outfits, risky endeavors, and the freedom to follow whatever whim tickles his fancy. Despite his outgoing nature, he forms neither deep nor lasting friendships with the people who collide with his life. His relationships are governed more by formal agreement than by feelings of attachment. When he binds himself to any such accord, he honors it with an inspired tenacity and he expects others to do the same. Outside of these agreements, he holds no expectation of personal or professional loyalty. While he maintains pro...

Non-player characters, typically referred to as NPCs, are the characters that appear in any roleplaying game who are controlled by the game master (Dungeon Master in D&D) instead of the players. If the players’ characters are the protagonists of the story, then the NPCs are everyone else. If the players’ characters are the lead in the movie, then the NPCs are the supporting cast.  NPCs come in all sizes and flavors. Over the years, through the various games that I have run, I’ve created many, many NPCs. Truth be told, it’s one of my favorite tasks as a game master. Some of these fictional folks still knock around in my head at unexpected moments, commenting on what’s going on and reacting to what’s going on around me. What has always surprises me, though, is which NPCs become memorable favorites and which fall into obscurity.  In thinking on this for a bit, I believe every memorable NPC I can recall shares four basic aspects: They were appealing to the players ...

One of my favorite PlayStation 1 games was Legend of Legaia . This RPG follows the adventures of three heroes fighting magical beasts that have been corrupted by a mysterious mist. What made this game so much fun was not just the mechanics (which were pretty brilliant) but also the diverse collection of monsters you had to fight and their sometimes unique attacks. (I'm looking at you Lippians!) I recently pulled this game down off my shelf to give it another play and thankfully it is just as fun as I remember it being. It got me thinking, though. I love Dungeons and Dragons. I love this game. What could be better than combining the two? This blog contains three creatures and three spells inspired by Legend of Legaia . I had to fudge some of the creatures' special powers to make them fit more closely into the D&D mechanics but I've kept them as close to the game as possible. I've also included some pictures of the beasties so that you can really get to know ...