Sean Does Games

And So It Began For a number of reasons, I haven’t released any new material on the DMs Guild since the last update to my Epic Gnomish Inventing . As 2018 approached its end, I began thinking about what I might put together for a new product that was both fun and useful. I really enjoyed creating Absurd Accouterment s and Bracing Beverages , both collections of magic items that have been well received on the DMs Guild. I also like The WhatNot Shop as both a locale in my homebrew games and a fictional purveyor of the unique items I’ve created in my supplements. This got me thinking that it might be time to do another items supplement. But what? I really love the trinkets in the Player’s Handbook . I turn to that collection of 100 miscellaneous miscellany during character creation and for unusual rewards, purloined loot, or unexpected finds during the game. (See part 1 and part 2 of an earlier post on my blog for other ways I use trinkets in game.) I also love the c...

I've started playing in a new campaign of Dungeons and Dragons and the DM suggested that we write up how our characters feel about the closing encounter of session 1. So, I put together the following. I'll probably post more of these as the game goes on, just for fun. They're sort of stream-of-consciousness too, so c ontinue at your own risk. The Slothfinger Diaries An arresting account of the astounding achievements of an audacious adventurer. Containing much merry making, minimal murder, and maximum mayhem. Complete and unabridged with appendix, a smattering of helpful visual aids, and the personal approval of the Slothfinger Society, that marvelous collective of fans, frenemies, and fiendish busy-bodies devoted to documenting the life and times of Slothfinger Baeruran, the forest gnome horizon walker; an all around good, but slightly chaotic, sort of character. Entry 1: Adventure Actually Whenever I get lackadaisical with the state of the world, I think ...

In the first part of this post , I discussed how to use trinkets in character backstories as well as how to develop side quests that help players discover the hidden meanings, if any, behind their characters' trinkets. In part 2 of this post, I continue with one-shots, story arcs, and campaigns. I also provide some additional pointers on their use. Enjoy! One-shots and Story Arcs A one-shot is one adventure that can be completed in a single session, such as stealing a single valuable object from a rich landlord, spying on a goblin camp, or clearing a one-room temple of invading aberrations. It is by necessity a short, simple story that takes place in one or two settings and with minimal NPCs. Once again thinking of the trinket as a puzzle, the one-shot gives the player one or two pieces to that puzzle in a fully realized, though short, story that does not have to either involve the other characters or have any impact on the campaign as a whole. In most cases, the one-sho...