Eighty percent of the reason I do Lore Collage is because it helps me keep track of what I’m reading and discovering about my passions. The other twenty percent is so that I share it with you.
Not much of a surprise to find out that the Realms are the focus. D&D is it’s most fun when settings are explored, and why not feature the one with more novels, comic books, and official products than any other.
One of the things that still gives me a little bit of difficulty when I’m DMing is tracking time in the game’s fiction when the characters are in exploration mode. Combat is simple, the 6 second rounds are codified, and we know that 10 rounds is a minute in the game world, 5 rounds is just :30 seconds, and so on. Which means most fights are resolved in just under :20 seconds! Wow!
Social encounters are also fairly easy to determine, as it’s usually real time conversations, with perhaps some minor adjudications of time passing as you negotiate and wait around for the car salesman to go talk to his manager about the offer you made him, etc…
But inside the dungeon, as the players are exploring, that’s a whole different…eh… monster. Now, the game offers a bit of rules in that regard… the DMG tells us that PCs moving…
Some heroes work the earth, till the fields, care for orchards, manage vineyards. The adventuring life was not part of their blood. There is no heroic act of rebellion or violence in their past, like the Folk Hero. They show their potential and heart every day. Some rise early, work late, and rest hard. Others understand nature, harnessing those forces to do as little as possible until harvest comes.
All are connected to the land. Whether serf or free, whether rural or within the city, the farmer raises crops not just for their own family, but to supply a larger group. They are the blood of a civilization – vital.
Some farmers do not get to remain in the pastoral life. They can be conscripted into battles, inspired by a local bard, maybe their debts force them to work with a local gang, Whatever took your farmer away from their homestead to the adventure they are on now that homestead, connection to earth, and family is a part of them forever.
The following rules a pre-publication example of a Farmer – a background for the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Nature Tool Proficiencies: Farming Tools, Vehicles (Land or Water) Languages: None Equipment: Farming Tools, common clothes, beast of burden (donkey, mule, dog, etc) or cart, basket, 2 days rations, wine skin, 2 gp
Feature: Horn of Plenty
Through your knowledge of foods, their qualities and usefulness, combined with an uncanny knack for preparation you are able to stretch food supplies. A meal that would normally serve one serves two. They are both content and satisfied. A harvest in which you participate is also more effective – your senses help find a few more plants that are ready, branches that are missed, or mistakenly dropped produce. Those harvests produce more food, resulting in an increase in gold or barter value of 50%.
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 all of them.
Drop Athletics for Sleight of Hand. This is to represent the deft hands of someone who does their best to avoid being stung too frequently. Their loads also tend to be lighter compared to farmers who carry bushels of apples, shovel manure, dig irrigation, etc.
Alternate Feature: Sweets
You always have some honey – tiny jars, little wax sticks, hard candies, the format is up to you – to give away. Generally those who are gifted your sweets welcome the gift and have a positive impression of you and your group. These gifts can act as a salve to harsh spirits or a reward for previous help. They can also be traded for other uncommon goods that you may be in need of.
Originally included as an option for the Remarkable Drudge, Farmer’s Tools are a must have for any farmer.
Farmer’s Tools
Cost: 5 gp | Weight: 7 lbs
Proficiency with farmer’s tools means that you are familiar with the operations of a farm, orchard, vineyard, or other cropland. You are knowledgeable in the typical crops within an area, to include when to plant and harvest them. You also know their market value in most lands.
Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons
Product release day is always fun. It’s an excuse to visit your local gaming store (my recommendations are Wizards Keep Games in Renton, Shane’s Cards and Games in Renton, Tacoma Games, Mox Boarding House in Seattle/Bellevue/Portland, Book & Game in Walla Walla). Yes, it costs a bit more. But frankly, I enjoy talking to other nerds, seeing a few dice, and helping these stores survived the covid-19 pandemic is important to me. Amazon won’t fail, but my neighbors might.
G4 is supporting @StackUpDotOrg and their care package giveaway to two lucky veterans in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month! It might not contain our golden briefcase, but it is still packed with our appreciated appreciation.https://t.co/Y81j0U9JW8pic.twitter.com/E4qQAnMBLc
While it isn’t the focus of the story, I’m a sucker for mainstream mentions of the game. NPR’s Morning Edition talked to the rapper, and it starts with D&D.
As a rapper, the Twin Cities-based artist Matt Allen goes by Nur-D – and the name kind of fits. “It’s something embedded into my soul,” Allen tells Morning Edition. “Comics, Dungeons & Dragons, professional wrestling….”
As always, maps
Making a battlemap of the catwalks of Skullport on photoshop… using @2minutetabletop assets and another battlemap blurred on the bottom for depth. pic.twitter.com/g4v2dw4x4K
Visit the Xiousing District of the Cormyrian port city Marsember in my newly added map from Dungeon Magazine #195. Prints & downloads now available at https://t.co/18ssOokrLa. RT & keep exploring! pic.twitter.com/eimxduDHkV
The second week of May always packs in a lot of festivals (there are four family birthdays plus Mothers’ Day all within a six day stretch), then I piled on the opening two games of the Tacoma Defiance broadcast season (with D&D references, because that’s who I am). Now, back to blogging.
Whether PC, or current edition of the XBox, Microsoft fans will get Dark Alliance on day one. The co-op action RPG with hard rock vibes is not part of an early access, it’s just going to launch. As an old, I’m a fan of that.
D&D x Magic: The Gathering crossover preview
The Summer of Legend is coming. Thinking all the way back to when I started playing Magic up on the hills of Renton and Kent I expected the two games would have a crossover. That was back in 1993. Now, in the year of our lord 2021 it is finally happening.
The guest list doesn’t include anyone from Wizards specifically, but the presence of an eOne executive promises at least a tiny chance at some D&D movie or TV news.
