[OOC] Dungeons & Dragons - Tavern Table (All are welcome)

[LeDungeonMaster]

Tavern Table

Take a seat by the warm fire traveler and ponder the menu at your leisure.

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Hello and welcome to Tavern Table, an environment for the discussion of Dungeons and Dragons in all its forms. This thread is free for the community to contribute towards in any progressive manner and interaction with creativity here is encouraged by myself.

For the most part discussion will occur in the OOC, however, any character templates, sheets, campaigns, encounters, quests and so forth can be posted to the IC for critique and appreciation.

There is but one rule under the cold slate roof of this tavern and that is to be fair and considerate. Feedback, as well as the expression of opinion, is to be conveyed while considering the position of others.

This is NOT a thread for ONLY those with an interest in Dungeons and Dragons, as anyone with a creative spark can always give something to a fantasy setting.

Please, enjoy your stay and whatever you do, do not order the Dwarf Black Liquor!

[cara214]

Thank you for making this board.

[BurningDaisies]

Anyone remember Spelljammer?

I've been really wanting to play in that setting or something like it for a long time. Maybe updated for D&D 5E?

[MaxxRocker]

Interesting idea for a thread man.

@BurningDaisies I remember it. Never was my cup of tea, but there is a pretty solid fan base out there at ENworld and Nerdacity that have some thought out and already set up conversions for the game to use the 5e system.

[BurningDaisies]

Sweet. I'll have to look at that later.

[LeDungeonMaster]

Any current characters and such that anyone would like to share?

[Kibaro]

what are your guys opinion on the matter that the GM could/should also play a character (not NPC but PC like the other members) in his story, as long as he is fair with it? :)

[MaxxRocker]

I think in voice or live games its a bit of a no go unless its for story progression or some kind of guidance segment of the game. In forum based stuff I think it can be a bit more useful as a way to within the party keep things a bit on track etc. So mixed I suppose and depending greatly on the situation.

[BurningDaisies]

I don't really think it's feasible in normal table-top play for GM to balance both his own character and GMing the game. More to the point, I feel that it steals some of the spotlight away from the players, even if the GM is being fair about it.
The only way I've seen this done that I wouldn't mind personally, is when every player is also a GM. And in this particular example case, each person rotated the role of GM every week. So they all contributed as GMs, but were all also players.

In forum roleplays, it's not only feasible, but been done and, depending on the situation, encouraged. Some games have a team of CoGM's, making such an option even more viable.

[Kibaro]

if anyone ever needs, this site has a TON of generators for literarlly everything, it's a neat tool, use it wisely, and no, it's not a scam or virus or anything :) the list is on the blue panel

[RyoRyoRyoken]

what are your guys opinion on the matter that the GM could/should also play a character (not NPC but PC like the other members) in his story, as long as he is fair with it? :)

@Kibaro

In the campaign I'm currently running, I like to throw in DMPCs for short stretches. Maybe the party runs into them while hunting down a dragon, or happens to find them fending off some creatures on the way to a destination. A good way to introduce unused classes to the party at the very least.

[Kibaro]

@RyoRyoRyoken
hmm presenting new/unusual classes to the players, that's actually a neat idea, thanks :D

[Doltboy]

This is an interesting looking post, where I expect interesting questions to appear. Well, two tankards of your finest dwarf black please, barkeep - you did warn me, I'll give you that.

[RyoRyoRyoken]

So, how does everyone like to organize their in-verse pantheon? I personally like mixing deities I like from Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc. and even Pathfinder with some homebrew stuff thrown in. Seems to work pretty well for my players thus far.

[MaxxRocker]

I usually use real world pantheons or religions to kind of base things on or give me inspiration for ideas and then construct my own from the ground up. It kind of always helped me with world building and giving cultures or areas a really distinct feeling and identity. On occasion if players are interested I allow them to make contributions as well whether a single god or a whole pantheon etc.

There is a huge benefit to mixing and matching or just using established materials. I have done it myself before as it really lets players be able to look things up when needed and just have a whole plethora of information within their grasp to learn about on their own time.

[MonstrousMan]

So, if I were to post the basis to a campaign here and update it along the way in characters, that'd be cool? I could expect some feedback etc?

[RyoRyoRyoken]

@MaxxRocker On the subject of player contribution to pantheons, my players unfortunately haven't bothered to play around with anything beyond the base group I've provided. Granted, it's a pretty robust list.
What they do like is making Warlock patrons (5e), probably because it's a bit easier to fluff something that doesn't necessarily have a portfolio.

[MonstrousMan]

Dark Kindle Campaign

Settings:
Mirkland - corrupted and unruled human territory on the edge of the empire.
The Abyss - a dark and deathly place that is void of all happiness.

Areas:
Dark Kindle Forest - the majority of Mirklands land is covered in tall pines, the floor covered in Dark Kindle.
Spurrfield - A small settlement beside the Lost Lake, a low light in the darkness.
Bloody Downs - Caverns, caves and dried lake beds, home to the infamous bloody beast and the writhing vines of the Velvet Spined Biter.
Castle Carstien - home to the Carstien family.
Castle Carstock - residence of the Carstock brood, built upon the resting place of the Demon Grugahliz.
Fort Falls - military presence on the edge of bleak falls, built of iron and tough spear pine.
Ravenhall - corrupt and near abandoned town, lies around the crater in which castle Carstock resides.
Ten Tails - A trader’s post to which ten roads converge upon, resembles a star.

Characters:
Vilhelm Von Carstien - Head of the Von Carstien family, oldest and proudest of the Mirkland clans.
Fredderick Von Carstock - Elder of the Von Carstock brood, equally old and newly thriving clan of Mirkland.
Mediea Von Carstien - niece to Vilhelm and secret lover to Ruphus.
Ruphus Von Carstock - Brother of Fredderick.
Lucy Pales - Vanguard of the roaming rummies.
Tundarr Rumbottom - Eldest of the Rumbottom brothers. Proud dwarf, alcoholic and hog pie eater.
Yurrew Rumbottom - Middle child of the Rumbottom brothers. Proud dwarf, alcoholic and confident brawler.
Illisoi Rumbottom - Youngest of the Rumbottoms. Dwarf, T-Total, tinkerer.
Mayor Rattle - mayor of Spurrfield, very strange metabolism. (Vandire)
Adrian Gullohad - famed adventurer, who is claimed to be dead to the hands of the bloody beast. Known for his ‘many eyes’ monocle.
Captain Pearish - leader of Fort Falls, scarred from head to toe. (Werewolf).
Sergeant Tulley - Scout and ex member of the thieves guild.
Private Rattle - Son to Mayor Rattle, ran away from home. Strangely but unnaturally strong. (Vandire blood - exempt from transformation and bloodlust).
Millenius Vuluniss - Ancient construct with a magical binding to the Ten Tails.

Enemies:
Yellow - small and devilish gnome with a vile infection, prone to fits of projectile vomiting. Sworn protector of shinies.
Big Grush - Fearsome ogre chief of the Big Boyz, tormentors of Ravenhall.
The Broken Branch - secretive group of evil Druids, scattered among Mirkland.

Allies:
Mr Black - mysterious helper, powerful but elusive.

Sample Monsters
-C1:lower-
Bandit
Smoke Mephit
Troglodyte
Myconid
Grey Ooze
Skeleton
Sahuagis
Death Dog
Scarecrow
Shadow
Warhorse Skeleton
Specter
-C2-
Will-’o’-Wisp
Zombie Ogre
Awakened Tree
Carrion Crawler
Centaur
Gargoyle
Ghast

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Just the beginnings of my Dark Kindle Campaign.

[MaxxRocker]

@RyoRyoRyoken Yea it can be unlikely or difficult to get people into that aspect of game as its not usually on their plate. I have been relatively lucky and had a few players who did and its usually turned out really interesting and different. As for making a warlock patron that is actually a decent idea I'm not as familiar with 5e, but that actually makes sense and kind of keeps things a bit more focused so I can see why people go for that and in a way you could kind of spin that thing into a god or into part of a pantheon so it could still end up being a contribution.

[RyoRyoRyoken]

@MaxxRocker The well to draw from for patrons is pretty wide even with the ones given in the PHB. Plenty of ways to fluff archfey, fiend lords or bizarre eldritch beings. What edition do you typically run?

@MonstrousMan Looks interesting so far. How encounter-heavy do you figure it'd be/how does your playgroup tend to operate?