I had the opportunity to speak with legendary D&D authors Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb on the debut episode of my new webshow, The NewbieDM Show. It was an interview I’ve wanted to do for a long time, as I am a big fan of their work. Jeff Grubb is one of those D&D designers who was so prolific in his heyday, that it’s a shame he’s no longer involved with the game. The Manual of the Planes, Forgotten Realms, Al Qadim, Spelljammer… the man’s track record was solid–TSR, CALL JEFF GRUBB!
Anyway, the interview was great, they are lovely people to chat with, and I hope you enjoy it. It’s part of a larger effort on my part to create more content. If you want to support me, please, subscribe to my twitch and youtube channels (links below). I’m also putting whatever content makes sense as a podcast feed…
Throughout the Covd-19 pandemic libraries and community centers have had to find new ways to keep their communities connected and informed. Virtual D&D has been quite popular with libraries around the US and Canada. Now that pandemic-related restrictions are being reduced, in-person play of Dungeons and Dragons is starting to ramp up. The game has been especially important for school-age children who lose the connections that schools traditionally build.
Newspapers, magazines, and websites around the world are covering the booming phenomena, and not calling it a Satanic ritual that leads to murder.
Today’s Lore Collage is focused on playing the game in libraries, other community spaces, and advice for players and dungeon masters.
With so many people picking up this intimidating hobby there are a lot of questions about how to play. Much of that can be answered by watching or listening to actual plays on YouTube, Twitch, or your favorite podcasting app. But, some people are like me, readers, so here’s some general Dungeons & Dragons advice.
There was a ton of news about tabletop Dungeons and Dragons last week, and hints at much more this week. The Week of Legend Lore announced two new books, some Dark Alliance news, and the 300th episode of Dragon Talk included the announcement of D&D Celebration from Sept. 24-26. The buildup to Celebration includes a contest for the Best DM in D&D.
D&D Live is being presented by G4 on July 16 and 17. That’s when the flood of details about The Wild Beyond the Witchlight will come out, and probable a few other tabletop D&D news items.
On Tabletop Tuesday my focus is on the two new books, and what intrigues me about them.
Right up front, I have to admit that during the pandemic I turned into a near nightly player of Magic: The Gathering Arena. I’m already a bit familiar with the lore around Strixhaven thanks to that. The card game got me quite interested in the magical university. Seeing how it transforms into a D&D world excites me. But there are a few reasons I’m more excited for Strixhaven than I was Theros or Ravnica.
Coming of Age stories are common in the mage school trope. Whether you enjoy Winx Saga, The Magicians, or that more famous property all of them capture that middle school to college vibe of discovering who you are. That genre has not yet been a focus of D&D.
Zero-to-Hero tales are related to that, and D&D as a leveling game embraces those quite well. Strixhaven has a solid mix of card strength so it does this too (some other MtG planes focus on big mana and others on small).
The Space for Mundane Students lets those that aren’t magical join your party. Where Potterworld just uses the mundane as an excuse for discrimination and The Magicians basically ignores them, Strixhaven is more like Winx in that non-casters are included (even if only mildly so). These warriors and such help defend the school from threats. Not every D&D party member needs to cast spells.
I miss college (DLI). Those stresses were different than the stresses I have no. Exploring some of them through the lens of D&D will be fun, and different from how I explored them playing Vampire on the streets of Pacific Grove, CA in the mid-90s.
Alt cover by Hydro74 will be available in local stores
The next adventure from Wizards of the Coast is a jaunt to the feywild. Details at this time are still fairly sparse, but there is a fey carnival run by Mr. Witch and Mr. Light, that parallels the carnival in Ravenloft. This is lower on my purchase spectrum, mainly because I don’t want to be tempted into spoilers for an adventure in which I want to play. But, I still want it.
The World of the Everflow treats dragons, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and other inherently magical thinking beings as Fey. Witchlight can help me refine those other-earthly mindsets for my world.
The pseudo-Victorian look reminds me of Carnival Row. Having literature and shows that echo D&D helps me embrace the themes. It also helps when you pitch the adventure to people who don’t know D&D.
Anthropomorphic animals are fun. Back in the early 90s I played Albedo. The first fantasy series I read to completion was Narnia. Sweet Tooth is one of the best fantasy series of the modern era. Players looking for angles based on those elements will probably have them as the UA released with Feywild in its title had a rabbitfolk and owlfolk (this is probably also going to be in Strixhaven).
There’s still more Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft reactions
From the official D&D blog talking about how 5e Ravenloft is more an exploration of genre buy-in rather than a power battle between players and monsters, to a Nerdists guide to how to run horror when you don’t like horror, the book is still being unwrapped. If you need help understanding the Domains of Dread there is little better than Black Dice Society. Watch a couple episodes before you run a campaign set in the Mists.
Delve into the dungeons' depths with the Dungeon Master's Screen: Dungeon Kit!
This kit includes geomorph cards for dungeon planning, illustrated condition & initiative cards, customizable dry-erase sheet, & more. Available August, 17th!
Once upon a time the changes to Drow were expected to be the big news around D&D this summer. Those are now on the backburner a bit. They look intriguing.
Also, if you are a Patron of Deven Rue you can submit to have her make a map. Yes, I’m submitting, two areas in fact. One with be the bridge-city of Fort Ooshar and the other the region around Kirtin-on-the-Lake.
Lately most of my writing efforts have focused on job applications, new backgrounds (Vintner, Midwife), and Feats (Bonded Companion, Born to be Wild) that help define the world where I DM and write. Getting read to relaunch in-person D&D has been such a joy. In this era where the game and everything surrounding it is more popular, I expect my drop-in episodic campaign will be popular. Sessions will be in South King County, in public place. Details quite soon.
Enough about me. Mondays are about the D&D movie, TV shows, video games, and non-TTRPG portions of the franchise.
Paparazzi provide glimpse of D&D stars’ costumes
Mostly due to filming at Wells Cathedral in Somerset, the celeb-stalking paparazzi snapped photos of the starts of the Dungeons and Dragons film in partial costume on their way to-and-from various shoots.
Hugh Grant took most of the attention, of course. He’s the biggest classic name attached to the project that also includes Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, and many more. There’s no surprise that there’s a powerful ensemble associated with a brand built around party dynamics.
At this point Page’s star is going to be attached to every franchise in existence. It took just one season in Bridgerton for him to be attached to James Bond. He’ll be in The Gray Man and D&D for certain. He’s enjoyed games inspired by D&D, and now he’ll get to be a Paladin, possibly.
In a city you might be part of a guild, where in rural communities you could be the only midwife for miles. You are there to aid during pregnancy and birth. Your role goes beyond just those times, as you are also the confidant within the region. Your charges trust you, confide in you, and know that you will support them in their time of need.
You are capable of calming emotions during impassioned times, trained in techniques of general healing, when you are present life is honored and saved. Whether itinerant or attached to a guild, your role within the community is respected. Those who don’t need your services still hold you in esteem, if from a distance.
Midwife
Skill Proficiencies: Insight Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism Kit Languages: None Cantrip: Spare the Dying Equipment: Druidic focus or religious symbol, healer’s kit, traveler’s clothes, flask, jug, steel mirror, soap, 5 gp
Feature: Welcome to our home
Folk that care for families will always welcome a midwife into their house. They will not fight for the midwife, but will help them hide, provide some food or provisions for the midwife and their friends if able, and share the gossip that caregivers invariably know about a community.
Characteristics: For now, use those from the Folk Hero or pick & choose your favorites. Whenever my background project sees full publication there will be unique characteristics for each of them
Midwife Design Goals
First and foremost, this design is to honor my late mother-in-law. She was a maternity nurse, and through her I met many other nurses. Secondly, the background leans into Call the Midwife, which my wife watches regularly. There is a bit of inspiration from Nynaeve al’Meara (Wheel of Time) and her time as Wisdom of Emond’s Field when she cared for the community as a healer and confidant for the women of the community. As there is no healer among official D&D products, the Midwife attempts to fill some of that niche (as will the Barber, the Apothecary, and the Healer).
Like the Remarkable Drudge, the Midwife grants a cantrip at the cost of a skill and a tool/language.
Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons
Cabbie & Ferien (updated for 5e, 5.5e and Black Flag)
Clothier or Weaver (updated for 5e, 5.5e and Black Flag)
Fediverse reactions
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