Author: Marc Talbot (Alton)

Living in Elliot Lake, Canada has taught me many valuable lessons. The first is making sure my garbage cans have tight lids, because BEARS do love to come into my yard (especially on garbage day). Secondly, teaching happens to be the best profession in the world, and lastly, I can still be part of the gaming community without being physically present. I've been an RPGer for over 25 years, teacher for 6, blogger for 1, and married to a wonderful woman, I couldn’t ask for anything else in life – except for…Profile Page / Article Portfolio

Where To Go? A Quick Reference Tavern Directory For Any Fantasy Setting (Part 2)

DM: “So you walk into the bar and see a table in the back of the room. The room is somber and filled with smoke. Sitting at the table is a Dragonborn, a Tiefling, and an Eladrin.”

Player: “This must be the odd group of adventurers the Mayor was talking about! By the way, what is the name of this bar…”

DM: “Ummmm… (Looks at “Where To Go? A Quick Reference Tavern Directory For Any Fantasy Setting (Part 1)”) The Bloated Beholder”

Player: “Really? That’s an awesome…”

I was really lucky growing up. I had a great DM with a great imagination, and he was never at a loss for a tavern name when he was put on the spot. Albeit, some of them were so far out in left field, that when we heard them we would become hysterical with laughter. It didn’t matter; we were in high school and we were young. Sigh!

Now that most of us are all grown up now and no longer dim-witted and silly (yeah, right), some of still come up with the most horrible names for anything pertaining to our game. Be a little creative; use that schooling to make names that are interesting and punny! Have fun with them!

Taverns, in my opinion, happen to be one of the most memorable parts of my gaming. You get good names, and you get bad ones. You get funny ones and offensive ones. Most times though, the tavern is memorable for a few reasons: either the name of the tavern, the NPC associated with the establishment, or the memorable role-playing moment in these joints.

Regardless of how we remember them, in the course of the two parts of this article, I will be giving you a description of twenty-three 23 possible tavern names that can be integrated and used for your current or future campaigns. In the first part I included eleven (11) tavern names for you to use at your leisure. I now present the second part of this two part article with the remaining twelve (12) tavern names.

Each name will have three parts to it: the name of the tavern, an explanation of how the tavern got its name and a possible NPC associated with these taverns. (click on each tavern sign to see a larger image)

The Weary Traveller

If your adventurers are weary and are in need of an extended rest – Presto! you have a tavern at your fingertips, ready with all the amenities the adventurers may need on their road to defeating all evil in the world. This inn can be placed on the road to the adventurers’ goal. This tavern could be used for an encounter as a side trek or even just a base of operations for the characters during their current adventure. This tavern is not only equipped for eating and sleeping, but the innkeeper has all the basics needed for adventuring. Sorry, no magic items – unless you (the DM) wants to add them.

The tavern is owned and operated by the Ridel family. It has been in their family for three generations now. The inn has a solid reputation, good food and comfortable beds for the adventurers and their horses. Therid keeps the inn in working order while Anna (wife), Belinda and Amanda run the hotel and restaurant. Timmy keeps the horse fed and the stable clean.

House of Princesses

Might be found in a well established city. “If there are any girls there I want to do them!!” – and you can. The building is three stories tall and contain who knows how many rooms. This establishment offers high class “escorts”. Women of all shapes and sizes are available here. From halflings to dragonborn women, this place offers anything imaginable…for a price – and the price is steep. Adventurers can blow some of their gold here and R&R after a tough adventure. You can indulge in anything from a simple massage to a full domination session(up to the DM to figure out details). This establishment can be used as a starting point for any new adventure whether it is political defamation, to spies in the cat house. In actuality, all the women who work here are changelings, an advantage to satisfy any client.

The House of Princess is owned and operated by Lady Aratranna Shadowskin. Her name has a double meaning. She is named shadowskin for her dark dominatrix side, and her natural skin colour and she is currently spying for whatever government your town is against. A great place to do some role-playing or to use some general trickery against your party.

Creeping Brambles Pub

The tavern is gorgeous. It is a circular edifice with a courtyard in the middle of the establishment. This tavern boasts the most beautiful and oldest willow tree in the whole continent. Once a year the willow blooms beautiful flowers that are cultivated and brewed into potions for the local healing guild, providing healing for a minor fee (locals only) and healing for a steep fee (for strangers). The fruit is cultivated and made into some of the best wine you could find anywhere. Creeping Brambles is the name of the wine. The wine is expensive, but worth it. Only around for about 2 months of the year.

The tavern and winery is owned and operated by Cruthinen the Shaman (for his “magic” with the fruits of the tree). He is a heartbroken gnome, with a tale to tell. His mood is elegant yet somber, just like the willow tree. The mood in the tavern however, tend to be jovial and upbeat, with many bards, jesters, and actors active throughout most evenings.

The Coat Hanger

This popular inn is well known for its multitude of coat hangers pretty much placed all over the tavern. on a busy night patrons can expect to see a hundred or more coats, cloaks, shields etc. hung all over the bar. The coat hanger always has an “open mike” competition every night and the person who performs the best story, wins their consumed items for free that evening. Players going into the place can try their luck and win an evening of drunkenness from the patron of the tavern. Many rooms are available for the night. The rooms are cozy, fairly large and have all amenities.

The inn is owned and operated by Thersaadi Songsteel, a human (no one knows what gender). Think Albert Goldman from the movie “The Birdcage”. No one has bee able to figure out the person’s origins. No one really cares; the atmosphere of the establishment is jovial and feel good. Thersaadi has Halfling “shoppers” in the bar all evening to prevent pick-pocketing.

The Chamber Pot

Known for its extreme cleanliness, the Chamber Pot offers the cleanest ‘facilities’ in town. The chamber pots in every room and the outhouses in the courtyard are emptied and cleaned three times per day. Walking into the kitchen is extreme, you would think you are walking into a newly fitted restaurant. Everything in here is sparkling. The floors are spic-and-span and linens are done after every client. For those who have an extended stay at this tavern, linens are changed every three days. Baths ore offered and even encouraged. The owners of this tavern are picky about their clientele and so the patrons are somewhat clean and respectful. The tavern part of the establishment is usually frequented by the business types of people, known for their cleanliness.

The inn is owned and operated by Raemmarr the ‘Pigkeeper’, a very neurotic dwarven female. Her need for cleanliness is known throughout the town, which makes her establishment extremely popular place to stay.

The Keg Stekehouse

This inn smell of cooking meat all day everyday. The Keg Stekehouse(pronounced stek-ee), know for the freshness of its meats, boasts the best beef in town. Located on the outskirts of the city or town, the livestock where they get their meats from is literally in their backyard.

Curgar Bittergrim, a tiefling male, owns and operates this family business. Sick of having to worship a demon, he is one of the only tieflings to break his pact without being snuffed. He is so confident in his product that he thinks his business will be around for thousands of years(and he is right)

The Past Pub

The inn boasts many “theme” rooms of varying time periods of the current world you are playing in. The decor can be a desert, a cave of Mezzoberranzan, a grand royal room of times past, an Asian setting or even a famous dungeon. The sky is the limit for this one. This hotel is owned and operated by a sophisticated hobgoblin named Rawk Aramil. Having been thrown out of his tribe for his pacifist ways, traveled long and far looking for acceptance in some other society, experiencing adventures that most would never see in their lives.

In the main foyer, Rawk has set up some displays of the evolution of certain species. Showing some of the changes of the elves and eladrin bloodline, the goblinoid race evolving from pure savagery, to organized bands etc.

The Clockwork Orange

Located in the less desirable parts of town, this establishment is a cesspool of addicts and ruffians. The bar is known for its plethora of available drugs, especially the highball mead, a concoction of “insert potion here”. The bar is actually owned by a noble by the name of Alex Drac. This establishment makes a lot of profit by luring the dredges of society, getting them addicted to the drugs. Once they are addicted, the noble has easy hands for hire, to do his bidding for that next hit. They would commit and “ultra-violence” without connecting anything to the noble.

This bar could be a good adventure spin off where characters could become addicted to one of the many drugs available. The noble could have his eye on the characters and have his ‘barkeep’ drug the ale of one of the adventurers with an unknown substance, which instantly causes addiction. Then the noble attempt to hire him in exchange for more of the drug, or the character does a small favour for the noble in the future. The possibilities are endless with the seedy establishment.

The Oath Breaker

Passed up for many positions and quests for her deity, this cleric eventually lost her faith. She always tried hard to please the clergy, yet, despite her wisdom before her time and her stong-arm with a blade, the males of the faith did not want to send her out to do the work of her God, fearing that she would embarass the Church. Later, she was instrumental in uncovering a plot within her organization to assassinate someone of importance to her personally. This act of treason left her out in the rain.

having saved enough money in the years of service with the church she was able to purchase this quaint establishment. This establishment is located on a crossroads of some type and Elayna Sunstride likes nothing more than to sit with adventurers during the evening and chat with them about their exploits. One thing she is adamant about, is that there is no riff-raff, or evil looking people allowed in her bar.

The Bakers Dozen

Bakery by day, tavern owner by night, Dravis Woe understand the need for diversity. He is famous for the bread he makes fresh daily, and for the drink he serves nightly. Having grown up somewhat nomadic, it has given him the ingredients to make his place one of the most visited in the realm. His travels have given him time to collect various recipes to satisfy any race you can image. The same thing goes for any drink you could imagine.

Dravis also owns a farm where he grows all the necessary ingredients for his clientèle. Using magic and elbow grease, this man is able to grow anything in his field using weather changing magic. The rest of his family actively helps him keep his high level of standards, which allows him to be the best. Any tampering with his crop could mean the end of this hard working individual.

The Sewer Rat

Lycanthropes are not your common free roaming folk in the city, but for some reason, this were-rat has flourished…well, done well for a monster anyways. His tavern lies on the outskirts of town, in one of the seediest areas. He is also located in the sewer. Even though the area he located is filthy and undesirable, his establishment is relatively clean and inviting.

Serrat the ‘tailess’ Ardune is not the most accommodating individual. He is gruff and aloof, but stays “strait and narrow” because he know his livelihood is precarious at best. Not everyone is comfortable with his presence in the city, but he has not caused any disturbances and is only tolerated in the city. This tavern could be a good source of information to the underdark or to the sewers of some large city. He does give some information…for a price.

The Shield Maiden

Avid followers of Pelor the Kerily family could not have been more proud of their daughter when she aspired to the rank of knighthood within the ranks of the Church of Pelor. This family grew up with little more than the shirts on their back, and with hard work and a dedication seldom seen to the God, he managed to buy a little niche in the town and build themselves a little haven for travelers and adventurers alike.

There is no cozier inn for miles, the food is good and the company is even better. Constant entertainment provided by travelers make this a nice place to relax after having defeated the Lich-king.

That’s it!

Hope this list has provided you with some much-needed creative juice.

Take these names! Use them, abuse them, modify them, enjoy them, and then tell me what you think of them, I would like to know.

Have a blast!!

Radio Rivendell: Inspiration For Any Gaming Table

I don’t even know what drew me to the site. I think that I was surfing the RPG Blog Alliance website for blogs to read, and this particular one caught my eye. I visited the site and was instantly hooked. Based out of Sweden, it’s a gorgeous site that is easy on the eyes and light on the ears. I thought to myself “More people have to be told about this site!”

Upon contacting the site owner (aptly named Lord Elrond), he was cordial enough to answer a few questions for us today.

Lord Elrond, first of all, thank you for answering our questions today; can you tell our readers a little about Radio Rivendell?

Radio Rivendell is the only webradio streaming fantasy music 24-7. We only focus on fantasy-related stuff and have been doing so for over ten(!) years now. We’ve been growing slowly but steadily through all the years, we didn’t even have website the first years.

Where did you get the idea for your web design? Why Lord of the Rings?

The whole idea of a webradio came from my friends’ need of background music when gaming, and it cannot get much more fantasy with Tolkien, right? And Rivendell is the ideal place to draw inspiration from; it sits in the center of Middle-Earth with connections to everything. So when one of my friends suggested “Radio Rivendell” it stuck immediately!

How many artists do you currently feature on your site?

Currently we have over 300, but we’re always adding new artists and albums along the way. Lately we’ve also tended to get more artists rather than more albums / soundtracks of each. So we’re widening and growing at the same time.

What are your short-term, and long-term plans for your site?

There currently is no real short-term plan, the one we had was to upgrade the software and the look of the site; that was what happened before X-mas. The long-term is to grow steadily, reaching more people, but probably also to move to a faster server. The site went down a few weeks back due to overload when we were linked to by a popular external site. So just grow at our comfortable speed we’re going now. I’m doing this as project during my free time so I cannot work on it full time, but who knows, perhaps it’s possible one day?

I noticed that when signing up to the site that I became a lowlife. How does your xp for members work? How do you level?

The XP system is a new thing we introduced this winter. Leveling and experience points are important elements of roleplaying, so putting it into the site would make it feel even more like a game of its own! I also wanted to make people chase XP and level-up to become more “powerful”, this is in order to make it more fun to register and take part in our activities. XP is given for all things you do on the site, like logging in (once a day only), rating music, commenting, writing in forums etc. This is only in it’s first installment.

What do you do with the donations you receive?

The donations pay for prizes in competitions, server space, hardware etc. More or less everything goes back to the site in one way or the other.

Do you play Dungeons and Dragons? Any other Role Playing Games?

I have played D&D, but that was loooong time ago. I remember when my brother bought the first “Red Box” of D&D and how we played it. We had been playing RPGs that were made in our country before, so D&D wasn’t our first. Then we’ve played through a great deal of different RPGs such as Lord of the Rings, Rolemaster and Spacemaster, Warhammer Fantasy, etc., etc. Now we play an adapted set of our own rules in Warhammer’s world, which is the one we’ve stuck with for the longest time, well over ten years now.

If there is anything else you would like to add, please do so.

Hmm.. Keep an eye on Radio Rivendell, we’re not growing fast, but steadily. I have so many ideas I want to implement into the site, and our music library will grow too. Worth mentioning: we’ll continue to play only the music we’ve been granted the right to play, and hopefully all the major companies and composers will turn to us for exposure 🙂

Thanks!

Thanks for talking with me today, and good luck with your future endeavors!

Sometimes Less is More: Preparation Tips

Everyone wants to be the best DM possible. They want to give their players the experience of a lifetime, every time. People create their own adventure, because modules – well can be a little dry and linear at times. I am not bashing modules, modules can be quite interesting for basic playing. Unfortunately, they tend not to provide the depth that serious role-players crave.

When creating your own adventures, some people tend to take it too far, trying to think of every detail, trying to predict every players’ actions, trying to look at the adventure from every different angle. If you have played and RPG long enough you should know that you cannot predict everything that you player characters are going to do. Here are some stress-free tips on preparing your adventures.

Character Backgrounds

One of the most important things you should do before beginning an adventure is to let your players help you plan the adventure. You can do this by asking them all for a character background. The character background will give you ideas and allow your creative juices to flow. Characters will give you an idea of their motivations, reasons for adventuring, NPCs that may influence the plot as you go up in levels. A players’ family member may be afflicted by lycanthropy, or some baron has unlawfully imprisoned your family. Perhaps a player character owes some gambling debts and the person they owe sends henchmen to collect what is owed. The possibilities are limitless.

The character background will also give you settings to place your characters in. Maybe you are situated in Eberron and the character is a refugee family from Cyre, living in New Cyre and the Blades are planning an attack on the town. Again, it gives you direction for adventures.

Loosely Plan Encounters

You don’t know what choices the party is going to make, and to railroad the players is not something I myself enjoy when a DM does this to me. Give yourself a general plan on how you think things will run and choose a few appropriate adversaries to suit your need for the coming encounters. This way if the characters decide to go left, when you planned to go right, you will be able to quickly plan something and adapt to the decisions of the players around your table.

Print off traps and hazards to pop into encounters. This takes away some of the pressure of having to take the extra time to choose appropriate monsters on the fly. Add some puzzles and contests to your repertoire. If you are like me, your players like the odd challenge and puzzle. It takes away from the monotony of battle after battle and provides a chance for your players to work cooperatively to solve encounters – not with muscles, but with brains. Go online, search for puzzles and riddles you can use as encounters. I once had a DM who set up a room where the party faced off against the top 5 chess pieces in a room. It was amazing.

Visual Representation

I think most players like to see what they were fighting. Grab some minis to represent the people the players are fighting. It gives a little more reality to the situation. You can also use tiles, or even a battle mat to plan the rooms. This way you can draw whatever sized rooms you need for all the encounters.

NPCs

Returning to the character backgrounds, use their backgrounds to give life to some of the influential persons in their lives. Your players will be incredibly surprised with their appearance in your gaming sessions – not only as a cameo, but a fleshed out power toting version of the people in their lives.

Apart from the character backgrounds, create a few NPCs for future use. Some of the NPCs should be those of disposable nature, ones that you can throw in for the adventure itself. Basic stats and a general appearance is all you would need for disposable NPCs.

Taken from the Player’s Strategy Guide 4e

There are a few things good NPCs should have to make them interesting. Write a character background for each of them. Do this either in great detail or point form; it doesn’t matter. Invent the NPC’s motivation, the reason for antagonizing your player; it will lead to the attitude you will attribute to the character during game play. Is the player surly, aggravating, invincible, arrogant etc. Give details to where they are from: location, career, position in enterprise. The characters will become that much more believable. Sketch out a general plan for the character’s future and see if it ties in with the party’s ambitions.

Next you should flesh them out. There are a couple of ways to achieve this. The easiest way is to take a monster or a character from the monster builder and modify it to suit your needs. Change the names of the powers and maybe add some of your own. The other way you could do this is to create them manually. Don’t forget to give them their strengths and weaknesses. They cannot all be perfect, no one is.

Lastly give your NPCs an appearance and a voice. What do they look like? Are they big, small, thin, muscular? How do they sound? Are they loud and boisterous, shy and mousy?

No matter what or how you decide to organize your adventure and encounters, don’t forget to have fun. Sometimes your player will throw a wrench into you plans – your counter is to not be so rigid. Be flexible in your planning and roll with the punches, you will see that not only you, but your players will get great enjoyment out of your improvisation.

If you can think of anything else (tips or tricks) to add to the list drop us a comment.

Where To Go? A Quick Reference Tavern Directory For Any Fantasy Setting (Part 1)

DM: “So you walk into the bar and see a table in the back of the room. The room is sombre and filled with smoke. Sitting at the table is a Dragonborn, a Tiefling, and an Eladrin.”

Player: “This must be the odd group of adventurers the Mayor was talking about! By the way, what is the name of this bar…”

DM: “Ummmm… The d20 Inn”

Player: “Really? That’s a stupid name…”

Each name will have three parts to it: the name of the tavern, an explanation of how the tavern got its name and a possible NPC associated with these taverns.(click on tavern sign to see larger image)

The Bloated Beholder

The establishment gets its name for the medium sized stuffed beholder. The owner did not kill this creature himself (though he would never say it in front of his patrons), he actually found this creature freshly killed on one of his patrols of the sewers and claimed it as his own kill.

This tavern upon entering is decorated with swords hung high on the wall, some suits of armour lay about in different stance in the tavern. The most prominent feature of the tavern is the stuffed beholder over the fireplace mantelpiece in the center of the room.

Otivan Daleborn is or can be a retired guard from whatever militia or form of military control is present in your campaign setting.

The Dirty Bird

This tavern is more of an eatery, famous for its fried chicken and wings. People come from around the continent to eat this delicious concoction. This tavern could possibly be the first prototype of the modern day KFC. It is a small eatery with a take out window.

A gnome artificer named Stosaadi, came up with the idea of the deep fryer when she heard someone talk about how the orcs from (insert name here) boiled humanoids in oil. She thought if oil could cook flesh, then chicken is well within the means.

The Whispering Willow

This establishment comes very highly recommended, highly decorated, with the prices to match. Fine dining, comfortable rooms and live entertainment in the evenings. This tavern is usually a place where people of importance would stay when they are visiting. This place would offer a variety of suites and services; a classy place indeed.

Wandaatris, a female half-orc bard owns the establishment. She was raised by Halflings and learned the mannerisms to become an adventuring bard of some renown. She then settled and decided to start her own brand new adventure of hostess, with great success.

The Cock-a-Maimy

This establishment does not exist. It is a diversion. When your characters are on a path to someone who may have information, and they want to misdirect the adventurers, the informant would give them the name of this tavern with directions and all (false directions and all). You may want your NPC to roll a check to see if they can “pull one over” the eyes of the PCs

The Watering Hole

Just your run of the mill tavern. It name comes from the fountain in front of the establishment. It is an older place, a place where the town guard may hang out after their shifts are done. If the PCs are smart enough to know how to get it, this place could become a great spot for information.

The tavern is owned by Tiev Rustring, an older gentleman; just a local, born and raised in this town. In actuality, Tiev is no longer with the living. The owner actually died in his sleep one night which gave “Dareth the dish-boy”, the opportunity to literally jump into the shoes of his employer. In actuality, Tiev was replaced by a changeling named Hordak. This down on his luck changeling is now the owner of the bar. He has worked for Tiev long enough to have picked up his routines and mingled with his friends that no one suspects he is not Tiev.

The Magician’s Wife

If you want great home-style cooking, this is the place to be…only if you do not cast magic. This tavern boasts the best lamb stew in the whole region, if not the whole world. At night, the place is usually alive with local talent, ranging from comedians to actors, from acrobats to bards.

A natural singer and bard by trade, Wandalove Waveharp settled here when she fell in love with a powerful Mage. They commenced a passionate romance that lasted for many years. The romance eventually faded for the mage and he left Wandalove in the middle of one night to pursue his magic. She has not seen him since. She is a bitter woman and despises magic to this day. She is so bitter that she no longer has to heart to sing anymore. She will not allow anyone of any magical talent to enter her establishment. She has even hired two half-orc enforcers, who are extremely loyal to her.

This tavern can be used as a point for a skill challenge on why the magical characters of the party should be let into the tavern.

The XP Tree

This tavern can be a central location, where the PCs could come and get a drink, listen to some rumours, and look for some work. Upon entering the tavern, there is a wall with parchment hung all over the place announcing jobs for those adventurers who want to work.

Owned and operated by either one of the current leaders’ (of the town you are in) offspring, or at least a relative of the immediate family, PCs can find all sorts of work listed on the walls. PCs can find anything from mercenary work to full expeditions.

The Fallen Priest

For any type of religious information you would like to convey to your party, you can send them to the Fallen Priest, where upon entering the tavern you would be greeted by a plethora of religious items from a specific deity (you choose the appropriate deity for you adventurers)

Panrry the faithless (can be of any race), has lost his way. Once a man of the cloth, and now is a man of the bar towel. He spent 20 year of his life as a scholar and a devoted servant of his deity. After years of hearing his colleague’s tales of divine interventions, Panrry’s faith wavered as he wondered why his God would not grant him such an audience.

This tavern could be used as a starting point for a side trek to bring Panrry back to his faithful ways by your PCs. Some miracle happens and Panrry goes back to his faith. Otherwise, he is a good source of religious information specific to you adventure.

The Lame Unicorn

The Lame Unicorn sports a hanging sign outside with a picture of a donkey on it, lying on the ground, without a horn. Hold that though, because if you mention the “lameness” of the joke, you are likely to get something broken.

This tavern boasts itself as the melting pot of the town, where people of all races and classes come together for drinks. Sometimes, the bar can be a rough-and-tumble place (due to the disagreements between races), but a nice place to hang out nonetheless. Order in the establishment is kept by the Minotaur and goliath enforcers here every night.

The bar is owned by a none-too-witty Minotaur nicknamed “Greataxe”. This barbarian came into some money while adventuring and decided to open up his own place, where everyone could feel at ease. Quick to anger, Greataxe is quick to confront anyone if they mention the obvious “lameness” of his sign. He thinks it is quite clever (good place for a PC bar brawl).

The Tiny Portal

This tavern boasts a very unique entertainment experience. The doorway is set in an alleyway and is scaled to the size of a small child. It is actually a tavern that is particularly frequented by Halflings. Everything is small in this place. Even the ceilings are only 6ft high. People of all races are welcome and they even have seats in the back that are sized for the larger humanoid races. Entertainment is the driving force behind the success of this place. Set into the back of the room, is a large entertainment area, a small amphitheatre where class acts from around the world come and play.

Owned and operated by a Halfling named Hurley Tallfellow, he manages somehow to bring in the best entertainment from around the world.

This setting could be used to bring a little (no pun intended) flavour into the tavern scene.

The Rebel House

As you walk into this tavern, you know you are in someplace that is very different. In the courtyard sits a platform for hanging people (which is actually the main bar), cells line the walls on two separate levels. Tables and chairs occupy the courtyard. Each cell has been converted to be able to sit 4 persons. The interesting part about this establishment is that everything in here is original.

Ex prison guard Mikael Yoursty opened the tavern when he lost guard job due to closing of the prison. Having meticulously saved over his many years, Mikael was able to purchase his old workplace and turn it into a fascinating place to spend an evening.

What’s Next?

Take these names! Use them, abuse them, modify them, enjoy them, because twelve more will be coming your way soon! Tell me what you think of them, I would like to know.

You can check out Part 2 here!

Steal this Monster: The Chaos Golem

Before the multiverse was split into the two factions of Toril and Abeir by Ao, The primordials and the gods were waging the Dawn War in the multiverse. The primordials were in a constant battle with the gods for total dominance of the cosmology. The primordials, beings of elemental energies collaborated often in the creation of being to help them in their war against the gods. One such of these beings was the Chaos Golem.

The Chaos Golem is one of the greatest creations ever realized by the primordials. It is said that these golems were not only animated constructs, to blindly obey the sometimes suicidal orders. They were also given sentience for the task they were developed for. They were designed to be loyal, obedient, yet intelligent enough to be able to make their own decisions during combat to better serve the primordials needs as a first line of defense against the gods.

Chaos Golems were used as sentinels, as an early warning system against the gods wanting to invade the primordial domain. Not only are the Chaos Golems ruthless and wicked, if somehow an adventurer manages to bypass this impressive line of defense, the creature attaches a beacon of energy that is not easily removed. This beacon alerts the primordials to a breach in the lines, and it marks unwanted interlopers.

The primordials created legions of these creatures. The Chaos Golems task was to patrol the multiverse, searching for enemies in occupied territory. Squads of these creatures were sent out in the form of a Chaos Golem Luminary (Soldier), Chaos Golem Cerebral, and the Chaos Golem Legionnaire.

Squads are normally grouped in the following Level 22 Encounter:

1 Chaos Golem Luminary
2 Chaos Golem Cerebral
9 Chaos Golem Legionnaires

Chaos Golem Luminary

This animate is the backbone of the Chaos Golem squad. He is a huge elemental soldier, the commander of the squad. Being the head of this group, it is a very intelligent creature indeed. It uses its powers with great cunning and uses the Legionnaires to the fullest of their potential, attempting to take down the toughest looking party member as quickly as possible.

The Luminary tries to protect as much as possible to protect the Cerebral, giving the creature time and assistance to effectively neutralize and slow character who present a threat to the squad. When this creature dies it attaches a magical marker that acts as a beacon.

Chaos Golem Cerebral

This golem is quite dangerous, especially in the presence of the Luminary and the Legionnaires. The task of the Luminary is to prevent adventurers from approaching the Cerebral. This creature has the ability to slide creatures all over the place.

They work at keeping the adventurers behind the wall of the remainder of the squad. These creatures are extremely intelligent and work well in conjunction with the Luminary to take down foes one at a time.

Chaos Golem Legionnaire
The Chaos Golem Legionnaire is the foot soldier minion of the squad. Their task is to flank and position themselves with the Luminary in order to dispose of opponents quickly and efficiently. Although only a minion, the creature does have a plethora of options to help control the situation.

Use these monsters as part of random encounters, for failure in a skill challenge, or just as something to throw in as a challenge for those epic moments.

Minion Madness – Steal this Snake Trap

By Alton, from 20ft Radius.

Traps have always intrigued me. From Indiana Jones to Gilligan’s Island, and from SAW to Star Wars, traps have always been sources of conflict to entertain the audience. What better way to create suspense than to place the characters from a book, movie, or even television into a situation, and to watch how they manage to get themselves out of it?

Through all the editions of Dungeons & Dragons, traps have always had a role of either hampering or just plain decimating characters.

The trap that always comes to mind when I think about them is the Snake Trap in Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark. Since it is ‘Snake Week’ here at Stuffer Shack, I have chosen to create this trap to reflect the theme. It can also be modified and inserted into any campaign, and to be used in probably any situation with little to no modifications.

Imagine walking down a corridor in search of the answer to the plague that is decimating your home town. You have traced the plague’s origin to the Temple of Zehir in the valley of the Forgotten Fang, a string of mountains that look like snake’s fangs – also known for harbouring the temple’s cultists. The party is exploring passageways, and ends up in a room with a large burning brazier sitting in the middle of the room. An altar on the other side depicts scenes of snakes being killed and placed in a container, partisans being swallowed whole by some large anaconda, and priests of some good deity being crushed by giant constrictors.

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Chris has been inviting me to write for the site, but I guess you can say I am a little keyboard shy. Fortunately for him, he rolled a critical diplomacy check and managed to twist my virtual arm and has challenged me to put on paper what I have been putting off for years. I am testing my mettle today and will see if his confidence is warranted. Enjoy the read!