Two and a half years later, my fiction writing projects are on hold. I’m all about gaming nowadays. But my stint as an aspiring novelist made me a better writer and a better storyteller. I thought I’d share a few writing techniques that I learned through books, websites, and experience and how I use them to be a better DM.

30 Fiction Writing Tips That Will Make You A Better DM (#11 – #20)

This is a 3 part series:

#1 – #10 can be found here.

#21 – #30 will be published on November 7th.

#11 – End your preparation sessions mid-sentence

This one is from Johnn Four (Roleplaying Tips, Campaign Mastery, Gamer Lifestyle). By stopping a writing session or game prep session mid-sentence you can pick where you left off easily the next time to sit down to write.

#12 – Build on assumptions

Description can bring your game session to a grinding halt if it’s not necessary. To cut down on description while still getting all the important information across, let your players know that you will build on their assumptions. For example, in a tavern players can assume that all the cliches are present – rowdy crowd, food, gambling, even mysterious hooded figures in dark corner. Of course, if your players assume something and their character acts accordingly, say yes, go along with their crazy ideas, and let them be the driving force of the story.

#13 – Have a single, clearly defined them

Redemption. Revenge. Exploration. Try to choose a theme – your players should have a say in this – and stick with it as often as possible. It will help set the mood for your campaign and help you make game prep decisions.

#14 – Use all five senses in your descriptions

Sight is the default. Describing sounds can greatly enhance the quality of your descriptions. Adding smells when appropriate can really immerse your players into the game world. Touch and taste are a little tougher to use. At first you might prepare these descriptions. If you keep at it and keep making a conscious effort to include all senses in your narrative, eventually it will come naturally.

#15 – Brevity and levity

I got this tip from Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind. If you can squeeze more information with less work, you automatically increase the pace of your game. For this to work you have to focus on story elements, characters, and scenes that really make an impact on your players and your game. Whenever an encounter – roleplay or combat – begins ask yourself: how can this moment make a major impact on the campaign or on one of the players? Go for it: make something happen!

#16 – Repetition

You can’t expect your players to remember everything about your NPCs or your game world. Repetition is easy to use and it will help you etch characters and scenes in your players minds. Repetition is easy to use and it will help you etch characters and scenes in your players minds. Repetition is easy to use and it will help you etch characters and scenes in your players minds.

#17 – Comparisons

Comparisons can really bring descriptions to life – they help you paint a vivid image.

#18 – Don’t let disapointment (or complete failure) stop you.

For every 5 great ideas and brilliant scenes you prepare, only one, two, or maybe 3 at the most will turn out just as good as you hoped it would. Don’t let that stop you. Keep DMing, keep planning games, keep writing, and keep having fun. Here’s my take on this success rate of 1 or 2 out of 5. As I get better as a DM my expectations rise and I try to pull off new techniques, different scenes, wilder ideas. So I’ll never be completely happy with my overall performance since I’m always trying something new, but even my “failures” are not that bad. In fact they might even be better than my successful scenes from 2 years ago! Failure, success, satisfaction, disapointment – it’s all relative. Just get people together, keep trying out new ideas and have fun.

#19 – Be open to criticism

Not only should you be open to criticism but you should seek it out! Ask your players what they like and don’t like about the way you run your games. And listen!

#20 – Make a difference

As a game master, a writer, or a storyteller you have to realize what your ultimate goal is. Is it to entertain? Is it to get your friends together? Is it to make your players feel good about themselves and their characters? Is it to relax and get away from your hectic daily grind? Knowing the reason behind the game helps you enjoy it more and run games for the right reasons – not just because it’s Wednesday and Wednesdays are game nights. Telling your story, running your campaign – it can be a great way to make a difference in your life and in the life of your friends.

This is a 3 part series:

#1 – #10 can be found here.

#21 – #30 will be published on November 7th

—

If you are an aspiring fiction writer or game designer and want to get published, take a look at the Gamer Lifestyle coaching program that I run with Johnn Four (of RoleplayingTips.com). The program is currently open to new members from November 5th through November 7th. You can download our 70+ pages free e-book on working in the RPG industry to learn more about the Gamer Lifestyle project.

We opened the program to new members for a promotion that we are doing with Men With Pens, a popular blog for freelance writers. The Men With Pens Crew also runs Escaping Reality, a gaming fiction forum, and Capturing Fantasy, where fiction writing meets online gaming.

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Two and a half years later, my fiction writing projects are on hold. I’m all about gaming nowadays. But my stint as an aspiring novelist made me a better writer and a better storyteller. I thought I’d share a few writing techniques that I learned through books, websites, and experience and how I use them to be a better DM.

30 Fiction Writing Tips That Will Make You A Better DM (#1 – #10)

This is a 3 part series:

#11 – #20 can be found here.

#21 – #30 will be published on November 7th

#1 – Roleplaying games aren’t about roleplaying

Sure, playing a character is a defining feature of roleplaying games. But the real appeal of the game is in the storytelling. The roles we take on are a mean to an end – the goal is to tell a great story. If you’re a player, this means that you should focus less on your character stats and powers, and more on how your character can become a driving force in your campaign. If you’re a game master, this means that you don’t need to overzealously craft every detail of every corner of your game world. A well placed detail, a rich character with its own goals and motives will do the trick.

#2 – Character development

Caring about a character will make you care about a story. As a DM, you want – no, you need – your players to care about their characters. Build your campaign around your PCs. You don’t need to thrust them in an epic adventure that will see them save the world 50 game sessions from now. You need to give your players reasons to care about their characters more than they usually would. Right now. This can be done out-of-character. Ask your players what they would like their characters to ultimately be. Ask them what their PCs care about. Require of them that they work together to weave their backstory together so that the party dynamics are rich and entertaining right from the beginning.

#3 – Keep a notebook

It doesn’t get any easier than this. Just keep a notebook (or a phone on which you can take notes) and jot down ideas when they occur to you. Never waste a good idea.

#4 – Write on a regular basis

Keep your creative muscle, your brain, in game shape. Write regularly. It will keep your writer’s brain alert and quick to expand on campaign ideas.

#5 – Collect stories from everywhere you go and everyone you meet

One of the main challenges we face as game masters is suspension of disbelief. Suspension of disbelief occurs when some element of your story seems artificial. Scenes and encounters crafted from real life situations (even in a fantasy setting) will strike your players as “believable” and they will more readily participate in the game with energy and enthusiasm.

#6 – Settings that tell stories

Oh my, where do I even start? Aren’t all DMs a little anal when they create their own game settings? I know I am. I like to write about irrelevant details that bring the world to life for me. But will it bring the world to life for my players? Probably not. Always keep your players in mind. Why would they care about the culture of this tiny village they’re just walking through? Does your detailed work help you tell a better story? As writers and game masters we should do ourselves a favor and work on setting elements that help us tell a better story. For example, if an NPC tells the PCs about his culture and the 1 day of the year when nobody is allowed to work – not even the guards – well, it has to serve a purpose. It could be a great opportunity to position a villain as ruthless. Who would raid a village on the single holy day of the year?

#7 – Find your voice

Storytellers need to find their own style, their own voice. The surest way to do this is through practice. Write a lot. Run as many games as you can. Pay attention to what you do and which parts of your campaign your players seem to enjoy the most, as well as the parts you liked the most. Build on that. Refine your style.

#8 – Read a how-to book on writing.

I must have read a dozen books on writing fiction – plot, character, beginnings, middles, ends, dialogue, style, technique, mood.  The book that made the biggest difference in my writing was Orson Scott Card’s How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy. I highly recommend it.

#9 – Set writing goals

Sitting down to write or work on your campaign is one thing. Achieving your goals is another. What are you trying to accomplish. I like to give myself 1 hour of planning for 4 hours of play. It’s challenging but it forces me to focus on what’s important. I end up planning very little – just the scenes and NPCs that will drive the story forward – and I rely on my players and my improvisation skills if I run out of material.

#10 – Plan in advance but let characters choose their own direction

Your job is to say “yes!” It’s easy to be a game master if you’re willing to allow characters to do anything (as long as it doesn’t contradict or ruin something that was already established in your game). Even when your players seem to willingly avoid your planned material you don’t need to improvise much. Change the name and look of your monsters but keep the same stat blocks – you’ve got a new combat encounter. Your players will not notice – I guarantee it. Throw a riddle or puzzle at your players and adapt while they struggle to find the answer. Use material that you didn’t plan to use right away. There’s always an easy way to improvise by loosely following planned material.

This is a 3 part series:

#11 – #20 can be found here.

#21 – #30 will be published on November 7th

—

If you are an aspiring fiction writer or game designer and want to get published, take a look at the Gamer Lifestyle coaching program that I run with Johnn Four (of RoleplayingTips.com). The program is currently open to new members from November 5th through November 7th. You can download our 70+ pages free e-book on working in the RPG industry to learn more about the Gamer Lifestyle project.

We opened the program to new members for a promotion that we are doing with Men With Pens, a popular blog for freelance writers. The Men With Pens Crew also runs Escaping Reality, a gaming fiction forum, and Capturing Fantasy, where fiction writing meets online gaming.

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Thoughts from the Geeks Next Door

The GND crew agreed to give their thoughts and comments on the strips they write for Dungeon Mastering.

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment. I hope you enjoyed the webcomic.

JESSI

Out of character? I know the what the plot will be.  It always bugs me when I know what’s going on in the plot out of character, but I can’t seem to justify bringing it up IN character. What do you think the plot will be?  Something classic?  Something strange?  Something silly?

MATT

Actually, there is a plot.  But, seriously, what kind of a DM would I be if I told the players what the actual story was barely ten minutes into the first session?  Generous, you say?  Well, yes, but in the finest Gygaxian tradition, I prefer to let them wait….and dread.  And all that sort of stuff.  You know.

MAGGIE

First of all, I would TOTALLY get that Monty Python reference in real life.  Second, we’re twelve comics in and we DON’T KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING?!  WORST WRITERS EVER.  If I knew anything about D&D, I’d write something better, but since I don’t, I’ll leave it to the “professionals”.  I have no idea what the plot will be.  I hope it’s a challenge that involves beauty, brawn, and possibly unicorns.  I would totally win.

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

I’m really thrilled to recommend Martial Flavor. Chaotic Shiny Productions was developed by Hannah Lipsky, who’s written for RoleplayingTips.com and Goodman Games. You can get many excerpts and samples from the book here, so I will let you judge for yourself how the book will make your D&D game better.

Here’s how I plan to use the book:

4 ways Martial Flavor can make your PCs and

NPCs better

#1 – Agressive looting is fun!

Gamers are creative people. Personally, I have no trouble coming up with great character concepts. But the great characters are built on details and Martial Flavor offers a lot of cultural tidbits. I intend to loot shamelessly! It will allow me to quickly create NPCs that are more than stat blocks

#2 – Powers that players don’t know

Does everyone have one player who knows everything and has read all the D&D books out there? I sure do. Having just one unique power per NPC keeps the element of surprise alive.

#3 – Wiki content and art

Here’s one thing I do when I have a little time to prepare, but don’t quite feel like working hard on my campaign: I copy and paste existing material in my campaign wiki! It makes my game world richer. It hardly requires any concentration. And Martial Flavor has enough artwork to make my wiki look polished.

#4- Get your imagination going

Reading D&D books always gets my creative juices flowing. Martial Flavor will do that to you.

#5 – Backstory + min-maxing = awesome

The characters I remember fondly from past games all had extensive backstory and kicked major ass. Martial Flavor offers backstory suggestions, cultural fluff, and powers and feats to match.

Samples, excerpts and more

Chaotic Shiny offer a few sample pages for free, design notes, and excerpts on the Martial Flavor webpage.

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Insider

We last took a look at D&D Insider back in March. Since then the Monster Builder program has released and the service has become more of a platform for expanding options with new races, classes, feats and “class essentials” series. The service has drifted away from some of the original tools that it was supposed to provide, but has developed more content in others ways. It seems like insider has a firm identity now. So my question for 4e players is do you find insider worth it? If not is there some feature they could add to make it worthwhile to you or do you object to the whole idea?

March of the Twos

The first suite of 4e books has largely concluded. All of the power sources from the Player’s Handbooks now have their own power books. The three core books already have sequels and there’s a mass of number 2 books rolling out. For the most part I am not worried it. The three core book sequels showed me that that the designers are constantly blazing new trails and expanding the rules of 4e, so I’m hopeful for that. What scares me is Martial Power 2. The other power source books have new classes to play around with. Martial Power 2 is going to be taking another look at the exact same material as the first Martial Power and trying to coax new life out of it again. I think when Martial Power 2 releases in Feburary it will be an important bellwether for the long term future of 4e. It will indicate what 4e will look like when the rapid expansion slows and we are left developing on old ground.

Mining the Past

4e has borrowed extensively from the past. Campaign settings from past editions like Forgotten Realms, Eberron and the upcoming Dark Sun. There have been some old school throw backs like the Revenge of the Giants adventure. Now, I would love to see Ravenloft and Planescape campaign settings but I’m starting to crave something new. In my opinion Eberron is one of the major characteristics of the 3.x era. I think we’re getting to the point that 4e produces a new campaign setting that is going to progress the hobby.

Book Redundencies

Among the new release schedule are a pair of books called the “Player’s Handbook Races”, one for the Dragonborn and another for the Tieflings. The Tiefling book advertises “exciting new options for their tiefling characters, including unique racial feats, powers, paragon paths, and epic destinies. This book also includes ways to flesh out your tiefling character’s background and personality.” I have to wonder about my motivation for buying these books. All of the mechanical bits are going to go into the Character Builder. Tiefling histories are going to vary with every campaign world so I don’t know that the fluff is going to help much. I like to sit down and read physical copies of books, but even I have to wonder why these Player’s Handbook Races series couldn’t be done solely online.

How do you feel about the state of 4e? Are you insider subscriber? Could anything make you one?

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Gather round my pretties, as once again it is time for bed. Although, tonight’s bedtime is special, as you shall have the pleasure of hearing a delightful tale from me, old Auntie Margath. Now this particular tale is one of my favourites and I often use it to scare the little goblins of my warren. Their tiny little cries of fear and disbelief often fill me with the most wonderful feelings. The story of ‘Naughty Galak’ is great to show all little goblins how horrible things can happen to goblin runts who are nasty to their warren mothers. As the elven like Dilias will come and steal away the naughtiest goblins, especially the goblins that Auntie Margath doesn’t like. Here is the tale and a description of the terrifying Dilias.

Naughty Galak

A long time ago, in a warren far from this one, a naughty little goblin named Galak always poked and bit and spat on the other goblins. As Galak grew, his behaviour worsened, with him often attacking Glatsat, his warren mother, as well as the other goblins. Glatsat tried her best to teach important goblin lessons to Galak but he would never listen to her and always did what he shouldn’t do and never what he should do. Many times the wretched little Galak was caught red handed whilst up to mischief, and every time he was punished. The punishment never deterred Galak for long, as he would often repeat his naughty deeds as soon as he was freed from the naughty room.

Eventually Galak went to far when he took the pretty, shiny crystal that belonged to the shaman of the Conlak goblin tribe. Again Glatsat searched for Galak while she cursed his name for being such a troubling and vile little goblin. The warren mother found the little runt where he always hid after being naughty, in the tiny nook near the chief’s cave. Glatsat grabbed Galak by his ears and pulled him out, the shaman’s pretty, shiny crystal still in his hands. Caught again, Galak only looked up at his warren mother’s eyes, smiling widely. Without warning, he bolted past Glatsat and straight out of the Conlak tribes cave. Chasing him through the woods outside the goblin caves, Glatsat saw a bright light getting stronger in front of her. She stopped running and crept forward through the trees to see what was happening. In a clearing on the other side of the trees, Galak stood completely still as the shiny, pretty crystal in his hand got brighter and brighter. The light became so bright that Glatsat couldn’t look any longer and had to hide her eyes behind a tree. Then, as suddenly as it started, the light was gone. Glatsat peered out from behind her tree and became completely frozen as she took in what she saw. Ghostly forms hovered in front of Galak, vile and disgusting figures floated before the young goblin. Glatsat had never seen such ghastly creatures in all her life. Their ears were long like hers, but thin and perfectly pointed, they stood taller than any goblin she had ever seen and their thin faces were sharp and angled without a mark or scar. Ghostly hair hung perfectly straight down their backs and clung perfectly still to the fine cloth that covered their bodies. However, what disturbed Glatsat most about these creatures was their large eyes that glistened like pools of crystal clear water. Just as Glatsat thought she could not keep her eyes on such revolting creatures any longer, they were suddenly gone in one blinding flash of light, as was Galak. Now alone, Glatsat moved into the clearing and quickly found the pretty, shiny crystal, but Glatsat and the rest of the Conlak tribe never saw Galak ever again.

Old Auntie Margath knows what happened to the naughty little wretch though. Galak was taken to the terrible home of the haunting Dilias. Here is what happened.

The naughty goblin opened his eyes and quickly snapped them shut. Galak began to slowly open his eyes to see if the nightmarish vision he had seen before was true. A small scream erupted from Galak’s mouth as his fears were confirmed. Sun-dappled shadows danced around his feet, and he stood within a pristine forest. Small woodland creatures walked peacefully all around him, as did tall and horrible creatures with large, glistening eyes. Some of these tall creatures stopped and looked down at him, smiling with terrifyingly perfect teeth. Now Galak openly screamed in horror at the monstrosities before him. A melodic voice rang within Galak’s head. ‘Be calm young goblin child, you are amongst the Dilias now. No harm or evil can be performed on any creature within our realm.’ Shaking with fear Galak looked at the ugly Dilias that spoke to him, his goblin voice quivered but it still held it’s soothingly fractured goblin tones. ‘Why you take Galak?’ The Dilias looked upon the goblin child confused. ‘We didn’t take you. You brought yourself here with the crystal. If you wish to leave just use the crystal once more.’ Galak fell to the ground sobbing as the worst words he could possibly imagine at this moment left his lips. ‘Galak dropped crystal in forest.’ The Dilias placed his vile skinny hand upon Galak’s shoulder. ‘If the crystal didn’t come with you, then you can never leave.’ With those words Galak sobbed louder and longer than he ever had before.

Margath’s Morales

So there you have it, the nasty little Galak got what was coming to him. Although he never would have gotten away with so much mischief in my warren, that is for sure. Never forget that if you treat your warren mother wickedly the Dilias will come for you and take you away to their nightmarish world of eternal sun and spring. Truly, a terrifying fate for any goblin. So what are these haunting Dilias you ask? Read on my pretty little goblins and you shall see

The Dilias

The Dilias are native to a small plane that is named after them and lies close to the Feywild. Dilias surges with extremely potent curative magic, and every being native to the plane is immortal. Creatures of all forms, living and long extinct upon the material plane, thrive on Dilias in perfect harmony, as they have no need to feed. Visitors to the realm are healed of all wounds and illnesses instantly upon arrival with the affect of the healing magics being permanent, even after leaving. Aggression is not accepted upon Dilias no matter the excuse. However any violent acts are useless as wounds heal as fast as they are made. Visiting the Dilias is only possible through the use of planar gateways that are spread across the material plane. Each portal is a small crystal ball that glows faintly in various colours whilst dormant. When a dormant portal is taken into specific areas around the world that are connected to Dilias, they become automatically activated, taking anything within a certain area to the home of the elven-like Dilias. Travel back to the material plane without extremely potent multi-planar magic is only possible through the use of the same gateway crystal.

Dilias resemble Eladrin in appearance, with some small differences. Their eyes glisten like a crystal clear pond of water and staring into them for too long is said to reveal the reflection of your true self. They are taller than the other elven races with their average height being above 6’5”. Each of the peaceful beings is born connected to the healing magic of their home realm, making them very potent healers. At this stage there has never been a disease or wound that a Dilias could not heal. The voice of a Dilias carries the full extent of their curative abilities and has a soothing, peaceful and calming effect upon all who hear it, making the Dilias very influential diplomats and negotiators. Whilst on the material plane, Dilias become incorporeal and wisplike for the duration of their time on the realm, the magic of their home realm keeps them in this form to protect them from the possible harm that could be afflicted upon them during their visit. It is believed that they can choose to take a corporeal form if they choose to. Their powers are weakened away from their home but they are still amongst the most powerful healers and effective ambassadors of all the realms whilst away from Dilias.

Born on a completely peaceful plane where life is created and sustained eternally through magic has shaped the Dilias into extremely peaceful race. They have no desire to do wrong or hurt any living creature. However, if a Dilias were ever to become vicious or corrupted by evil, the hypnotic voice of the creature would become it’s most powerful weapon, calming anything that threatened it, as well as convincing countless people to do it’s bidding without question or thought. With an array of extremely powerful curing magics, the Dilias and it’s followers would be extremely resilient to injuries and disease.

Sweet Dreams

Sweet dreams, my little pretties and good luck falling asleep after that harrowing tale. I can assure you that the dreadful Dilias are real and they may even come for you this very night! – Auntie Margath.

What is your favourite fairy tale? Have you ever used a fairy tale to influence your game? Do you think healers are effective in RPG’s?

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Now that Expy has finally taken control of Dungeonmastering.com and disposed of those tiresome humans, he has roped me in to write for him. Who am I? I am the all powerful, brilliant and eternal Lich King, Falad! So what can a Lich King like myself help you inferior breathers with? Everything is the correct answer, but for today I’ll be informing you on the one thing I know best, Zombies. More importantly, you’ll learn the best way to survive a zombie invasion.

Know Your Zombie

Not all zombies are made equally, in fact, there are several ways to animate the fallen and have them destroy the kingdoms of your enemies. As a breather about to deal with a zombie threat, it is important to get to know which zombie you are dealing with and how to deal with it.

The most common zombie is the necromantic or voodoo zombie. Necro zombies are conjured from their eternal slumber by a powerful necromancer (such as myself, Falad the Lich King!). Summoned to do the express bidding of their master Necro zombies can be single minded and almost harmless to bystanders who hide or run away. Usually controlled by a single master, these undead minions are slow, unintelligent and weak. Their only benefit is that the animated flesh is not reliant on remaining on the body. With this little perk, powerful necromancers (such as myself, Falad the Lich King) can maintain control over limbs and heads after they have been removed from the rest of the zombie. Unlike most other types of zombies, the bite of the Necro zombie is not infections and only in death can another victim be claimed to rise from the grave. Destroying a Necro zombie completely is near impossible, as they remain animated at all times. Only when they achieve their task or the necromancer is dealt with, will a Necro zombies return to their eternal slumber.

One of the more popular zombies in recent history is the Plague zombie. Chaotic necromancers will often choose to unleash the virus that summons these zombies to obtain large amounts of land at any expense (or amusement at the destruction they cause). Plague or Viral zombies are faster and more vicious than the Necro variety, they are also far more difficult to control compared to the Necro variety (except for myself, Falad the Lich King). Driven by a basic need to consume flesh, to maintain their unlife they have no intelligence and will rush head first into danger if they can sense living flesh. A side effect of this basic survival instinct causes the zombies to pack together and spread in all directions, as such, if one Plague zombie is near, there are bound to be others close by (like right behind you! Mwahaha). Being cannibalistic, these undead hordes will completely ignore other breathers that are not of the same species as themselves and this quality means they can be easily quelled by allied breather kingdoms. Dealing with the menace of Plague zombies of your own species can be very difficult, as they never tire and their infected bites mean the slightest scratch will eventually turn you. Destroying the head of all those infected will stop the virus, as will very powerful curing magics.

Apocalypse zombies are the most powerful and dangerous of all zombies. Summoned from the Nine Hells of Asmodeus by only the most powerful necromancers (like Falad, the Lich King) or devil lords, can bring these infernal beings to the material plane. Eternities of suffering within the realms of Asmodeus have turned these tortured souls into extremely powerful and brutal undead warriors. Even worse for you breathers is that Apocalypse zombies maintain a high level of intelligence, as such, simple tactics will not work as they actively hunt their prey. A pure hatred for all living creatures controls the Apocalypse zombie and they willingly follow the orders of their masters as long as their blood lust remains sated. The non-infectious bite of the Apocalypse zombie means they do not replicate as quickly as the Plague zombie but death at the rotted hands of an Apocalypse zombie claims your soul for the malevolent devil lord Asmodeus, a fate worse than mindless unlife. Disposing of the necromantic controller or the devilish master of these zombies will not quell the legions of Apocalypse zombies. Only powerful dimensional magic or banishing spells will send the undead horde back to their home within the Astral Sea.

A 4-Step Guide Of Survival

Now that you are aware of the different classifications of zombies at the disposal of necromancers (like myself, the all powerful Falad, the Lich king), you need to know how to survive and ultimately defeat these infinite undead hordes. Your best chance of living to see another day is to follow a few simple steps. By following these steps you may overcome and survive your next encounter with a legion of zombies, (unless they belong to Falad, the Lich King).

1, Locate a secure area.

When faced with countless zombies constantly swarming and hunting for flesh, having a secure building or cave will be your only hope to survive over a long period of time. Multiple escape routes are highly suggested in case the zombies manage to surpass your defences, and several magical defences should be put in place to hamper a zombie intrusion, as well as act as an early warning system.

2, Gather supplies.

Necromancers will often claim destroyed civilisations as their own land for as long as they can control it. The length of their rule can vary but planning and supplying yourselves to survive as long as possible is recommended, raiding for extra supplies as needed may become a necessity.

3, Everyone is an asset.

An important detail to realise is that everyone still living within the area of zombie infestation is an asset. Not only do greater numbers reduce your overall risk of dying and turning, but also each person has some skills that could prove useful as the number of survivors dwindle.

4, Find the Necromancer.

Chances of surviving a Zombie-Pocalypse rest on finding the necromancer responsible for the hordes of undead beasts. After locating the necromancer, plans should be made to take them out as soon as possible. Most times a powerful disenchantment can deal with the large groups of zombies that stand between you and their source, although using powerful magic will inform the necromancer of your approach. Masters of the undead tend to maintain strong defensive measures, as controlling hordes of undead can be tiring (not for Falad, the Lich King!). Be prepared to face magical traps and powerful undead guardians. If a Necromancer is in immediate danger, they will fight using a large arsenal of dark and corrupted magics and flee if they feel defeat is inevitable.

All For Entertainment

Some of you may be wondering why such a legendary and almighty lord of undeath like myself is willing to help breathers survive my glorious zombie invasions? Quite simply, Falad, the Lich King is bored of destroying civilisations with no or little challenge. So prepare yourselves and you may out wit, out last and out live the next Zombie-Pocalypse.

Do you use Zombies in your campaign? How are they used? Do you have a plan for the Zombie-Pocalypse?

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Expy here. I have decided to bypass the middle-man – Yax – and take control of the site for the week. Why? Well, why not? After all, I am the face of this website. Whilst the humans are on holiday for Halloween you will be hearing from a couple of guest writers I have especially lined up for you and more importantly me. Right now, I’ll be informing you all with the most important information you will ever find on DungeonMastering.com. The top five ways to coexist with a glorious Red Dragon like myself.

How To Appease A Red Dragon

Red Dragons are the ultimate of all dragon kind. If you don’t believe me, just ask any other Red Dragon and they will tell you the exact same thing. As kings amongst the dragons, we are not easily impressed and, while the following are the best possible methods of ‘earning’ your life whilst living in the territory of a splendid Red Dragon, it isn’t a surety that I or one of my kin won’t eat you, destroy your town or eat you and destroy your town. After all, doing such things is highly entertaining.

5. Burn It All

Fire is a very large part in my life and I highly enjoy burning things. Forests, villages, crops and creatures, all of these things burn spectacularly well. If you find your town under threat from a Red Dragon, you should willingly let the dragon burn everything it wants without calling for a party of grand adventurers to slay the magnificent creature. If left unthreatened and in constant supply of flammable objects, a Red Dragon can stay content with the presence of humans in their territory for a period of time, especially if burnable objects are replaced in a very timely manner. Any meat that may be cooked perfectly black in this manner should be offered to the dragon as a reward for his marvelous handiwork.

4. Weaker Dragons

Burning everything in sight is extremely fun for a while but it gets old within a month or so. Whilst the Red is content with incinerating everything you own, you should use your time productively and seek out weaker dragons within the area. Whilst we Reds already know how significantly superior we are compared to the other colours. It is always pleasurable to remind our weaker brethren of this fact. After you have discovered another dragon, there are a couple of important criteria that need to be met before moving to the next stage. It is important to note that approaching a Red Dragon to acquire any personal information to compare with your intended target will result in instant death, as will not correctly completing the criteria. Firstly the horde of the other dragon must not be larger than the Red’s, as well as being easily movable. Secondly the other dragon has to be younger than the Red. Next the dragon must not be a Gold as they are pathetic and we don’t want anything to do with them. Finally, a complete history of the dragon must be collected and presented to the Red Dragon. Once all of these criteria have been achieved you can move on to the next stage. Enticing the second, weaker dragon into the territory of the Red Dragon so they can be humiliated and defeated by the awesomeness that is a Red Dragon. How you achieve this is your problem and not mine or any other Red’s.

3. Everyone Loves A Hero

It is true that everyone loves a hero, even me and my amazing Red Dragon friends. The reasons we love them may differ from yours, but their habit of carrying the best magical items and powerful artifacts is particularly appealing. Because stalwart heroes of great renown are always looking to dishonourably steal from a dragon’s treasure filled horde, it is only fitting we try to return the favour, but in a more honourable way of course. How you will help in this method is simple. Whenever one or more of these so-called champions enters your newly rebuilt town, you are to send them head first into the Red Dragon’s lair. Obviously this is to be done after a few key criteria have been completed first. Your towns primary goal is to make sure that groups of these heroes are completely separated and sent to the Red Dragon’s lair one at a time. After this, you need to compile a complete inventory of all their magical items, artefacts and gold. Then inform the Red Dragon of this information. An optional but highly appreciated task is to poison the hero before they depart on their quest to foolishly challenge the dragon. Not too much poison though as we evidently don’t need any assistance to finish off these puny people.

2. Idolize Me

With the three previous suggestions achieved and in constant renewal, your next step to appeasing a Red Dragon is a very simple one. Idolize the Red Dragon, and not in simple worship of their amazing power, but the full idol treatment. Remove any religious material and references of any and all deities currently being worshiped within in the town and replace them with monuments to your local Red Dragon. Offerings made three times a day to your new dragon deity are expected. This simple conversion is your second last step to achieving a possible coexistence with the almighty greatness that is a Red Dragon.

1. Gold, Gold And More Gold

Finally the number one method of appeasing your almighty and benevolent lord is a simple but highly effective one, a daily supply of gold. The gold does not need to be a specific amount, the only requirement is that the total amount of daily contribution reaches the average of ‘mountainous pile’. Contributions are also accepted in rare precious metals, as well as gemstones and magical items.

Simple Isn’t It?

So there it is, a very reasonable and easy five-step method to having a possibly peaceful life in the amazing presence of a Red Dragon. I’m sure you will agree that this is an extremely fair price for a possible coexistence with the world’s greatest creature. Be sure to check back within a couple of days as my hand picked writers fill the shoes of Yax and the crew whilst they take their ‘temporary’ holiday – Expy.

How do you bask in the awesomeness of Red Dragons? What is you fondest memory of Red Dragons? How glad are you that Expy has taken over Dungeonmastring.com?

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Here’s the link to the submissions guidelines:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.aspx?x=dnd/submissions

Here’s the link to a blog article on the topic, with more details on submissions for this particular project, from Trevor at the Wizards Community site:

http://community.wizards.com/dungeonsanddragons/blog/2009/10/26/dampd_insider_content_needs

And here’s my advice…

5 ways to get noticed when you apply for a writing gig

I get about 50 article submissions per month. I reply to everyone but I must admit I don’t read everything I receive. I only have 24 hours in a day so I rely on snap judgments, even if it means I could miss a very talented writer.

1. Do it. Just do it. Go for it! This is a great opportunity to get noticed by a roleplaying game company that pays writers and freelancers. Working in the RPG industry can be tough – so many people do it for free and the quality standards are high – but it beats almost any other gig.
2. Send more than one submissions. It’s easy to ignore one submission. But when I see a name pop up over and over again I usually take  notice.
3. Catchy titles. Any title that ends with a question mark is a good start. Avoid titles that don’t mean anything to the reader unless they read the article. The point of the title is to get people to read the article, not make you look smart and punny once they do.
4. Reach to WOTC staff members on Wizbook.
5. Don’t be a fanboy. I can’t stress this enough. You’re a professional, not a fanboy.

Good luck!

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!

Seasonal holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Valentines Day are a great source of inspiration for your gaming table. Themed games provide a unique and fun experience that can be remembered for years. With Halloween around the corner here are a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing for your own themed game on all Hallows Eve.

The Curse Of Alian

A terrible curse has befallen the small town of Alian. As night falls over the village, every child turns into a vile monster. Child-sized werewolves, vampires, ghosts and goblins roam the streets of Alian each night, causing terror and chaos. No one within the town has been able to break the curse and now they look for benevolent heroes to help them restore their peaceful lives. As Halloween approaches, here are some Halloween based ideas for an adventure.

The Town Of Alian

The kingdom of Connorth is vast and several weeks journey on horse is required to traverse the entire breadth of the nation. Alian is situated west of the central capital, roughly halfway to the coast. The small town of nearly eight hundred is one of the smallest and remote towns of Connorth. Farmers of Alian will eagerly tell you that their crops are the best in the kingdom, as the soil is blessed within the area of Alian. Since its settlement over two hundred years ago, not a single crop on a single farm has failed. Alian proper is tiny, as most of the residents of the village live on the farms that completely surround the town. A lavish three-story building is the centrepiece of the town. This house is the largest building for hundreds of miles and is home to the king’s representative to the area. Six months ago, Renath, the old lord of Alian, passed from old age. Within a week, the young lord Castan had been sent to replace the former lord. Alian and the surrounding area has been completely neutralized of any threat of monsters nearly three generations ago and with the abundant crops that have never failed, there is no crime to speak of. Not the ideal posting for a young and ambitious lord of the king’s court. The cultivated landscape that surrounds Alian is only broken by a large copse of trees nearly a days ride southeast from the town.

The Forest of Elsesh lies alone, across the rolling plains near Alian, with the closest farm land roughly half a day’s travel by horse. The grove of trees is not large enough to truly be called a forest but earned the name from its elven caretaker. Elsesh was a druid who cared for the animals within the woods and the trees themselves for over five hundred years. No one within the area knows what happened to Elsesh but she has not been seen in over one hundred years. As time slowly passes, her benevolent examples slowly turn into folklore and legend around the lands of Alian. People rarely travel to the Forest of Elsesh as it holds little relevance to the daily lives of the people of Alian. Several creatures call the forest home, ranging from squirrels to wolves and the wooded habitat thrives with wildlife of all varieties. This diverse array of wildlife has attracted the attention of Castan. The newly appointed lord of Alian has taken to weekly hunting trips within the forest.

The curse

Each day, as the last light of the sun falls below the horizon, the nearly three hundred children of Alian begin to change into ghastly creatures. Child-sized werewolves and vampires prowl the streets, preying upon anyone caught outside their homes. Goblins hoard together on the village green and then head out to raid Alian’s surrounding farms. Children, who are unfortunate enough to become spirits after nightfall, rise from their bodies to haunt their own homes every night. Unlike the other children, those cursed to roam as apparitions differ from the rest of the children, as they sometimes spend the nights as ghostly forms of themselves and not ghoulish monsters. The reason why some ghost children remain themselves on some nights and not others remains a mystery, as does the curse itself. Each morning as the first rays of sun fall upon the town of Alian, the monstrous children lie upon the ground and fall asleep reverting back to their innocent forms with no memory of their actions. The townsfolk often fear for their own lives during the nights with several people being injured, some seriously. Not a single person is willing to harm the children and any suggestion to do so has been met with horror and disgust by the parents and all other members of the peaceful community. Amongst the confusion and fear within Alian, people have failed to notice their scarecrows animating and moving freely amongst the farms. Some children have reported seeing this strange phenomenon to their elders. However at this point most people are too concerned with the affliction on the children to worry about anything else.

The Lord And The Witch

The Lord, Castan lives within Alian under sufferance, banished to the town by his king after Renath’s passing. Bored beyond belief and with no sense of responsibility towards the people of Alian, Castan spends his time conjuring ways to get himself honourably removed from the remote town of Alian. Castan sees the curse as his best method of escaping Alian, sending riders to summon heroes to the town to quell the “monstrous invaders”. Anyone who investigates the call for help is offered outlandish rewards to destroy the “invading beasts”. A reward the Castan has no intention of paying. Upon learning the truth of the “monsters”, heroes who approach Castan are directed to the supposed Witch, Zennlo. Castan has apparently discovered that the curse has been placed upon the town by the witch who lives on the overgrown farm to the north of the town. Once the curse is lifted, Castan claims he offered no reward, whilst crediting himself with curing the curse of the town, hoping such news will see himself returned to his old luxurious lifestyle.

The Witch, Zennlo moved to Alian a couple of years ago. Arriving alone she showed papers of ownership to an abandoned farmland north of Alian. Unable to deny their authenticity, the old lord allowed the woman to claim the property as her own. Unlike nearly all other residents of Alian, Zennlo did not take to farming the land. Instead she merely repaired the damages to the house and let the land grow over with weeds and wildflowers. Rumours were whispered throughout the town for years of Zennlo’s possible past, as the middle-aged woman kept to herself, rarely entering the town. Since the curse struck Zennlo has not been seen outside of her home, with many people considering Castan’s claim that Zennlo is a witch and responsible for the curse. Confronting Zennlo reveals the truth behind the woman. Extremely friendly and truthful, Zennlo is a widow from the capital who moved after her husbands passing. She is a practicing priestess of the Goddess of nature and a skilled Druid. Since the curse first struck Zennlo has been working on a spell to cure the children. Zennlo believes the curing spell to be finished but it needs to be cast upon the source of the curse, which Zennlo believes is within the Forest of Elsesh.

An Angry Spirit

Within the Forest of Elsesh, the restless spirit of the elven druid has arisen due to the meaningless hunting trips of Castan. As Elsesh watches her children fall to Castan’s sport her rage intensifies. In her undead form, Elsesh’s once just morals and peaceful nature have given way to wrath and blind anger. She believes that if her children are to be hurt for sport then the children of Alian are her sport to play with. Elsesh uses her druidic powers to possess the inanimate scarecrows around the town to keep an eye on her handiwork. Whilst the townspeople are willing to let the slaughter of her children continue, she will slowly intensify the curse to a point where the effect will become permanent.

Anyone who ventures into the forest since her awakening is confronted by illusory obstacles and whispering voices to confuse and bewilder would-be heroes. Only those with a strong will and grip on reality can surpass these traps. Elsesh will summon dire creatures to assault anyone powerful enough to navigate their way through her mind tricks. The vengeful spirit confronts heroes who are strong enough to discover her resting place within a small cave system at the heart of the woods. If destroyed, the curse is lifted but so is the blessing Elsesh placed upon the land hundreds of years ago. Firstly the forest wilts and disappears, then the soil of the farmlands nearby. If the heroes manage to cast the spell that Zennlo conjured, Elsesh’s spirit is purified and she reverts back to her old self. Elsesh then lifts the curse upon the children and places one squarely upon Castan. Whenever the young lord enters her protected woods he becomes a young fawn for the juration of his stay.

Do you have a special game planned for Halloween? What are some other Halloween game ideas? What is your favourite Halloween rpg moment?

Can’t get your regular group together? Play the one-shot session RPG: Zombie Murder Mystery!