After many, many months of the covid-19 pandemic more people are playing D&D than ever. Much of this is online. Long-time players and D&D rookies both are discovering the challenges of gaming via video.
Ginny Di put together a strong 12-minute video that hits on the common challenges and solutions that come up at virtual tables. Even if your virtual table play is going well this is a good reminder. If you haven’t played virtually before the package is an excellent starting point.
When I watched this it reminded me of one my habits as Awf — I can dominate the channel rather than share the spot light. When I play as Thoumas, the group interplay is different. We split the party frequently, something that is harder to handle on a VTT, in my experience. Coordination requires a bit more care.
Her best piece of advice, at least for my groups (hi guys), is to use the text chat for out-of-character stuff. That clears space for the DM to manage the game. My second favorite is to schedule a little bit of the time pre & post game to communicate about non-gaming things. Be friendly and social with each other, because being social during the pandemic is hard enough.
My RPG Carnival post will be about the Lorebooks and Font of the Everflow, the items which combined to shift the Land of Kin from some more typical fantasy worlds.
Welcome to the RPG Blog Carnival for the Month of February, 2021, on the theme of Gifts of the Gods, divine artifacts,
Such items figure in highly legends such as:
The Aegis of Athena, the shield that protects her (and indirectly the Olympians).
Mjölnir, the hammer of Thor, popularized in the Marvel comics and movies.
The Yata no Kagami (the sacred mirror) of Japanese legend.
And in fiction with such items as Stormbringer, the soul-drinking demonic sword and tool of the gods of Chaos.
A small number of such items, the thunderbolts used by Zeus, are mass produced.
So, let your imagination run wild! Make up new items or stat up those from myth, describe places where lost items can be found or quests set by the gods for those who wish to “borrow” item for an important task, what artifacts would your campaign villain seek? …
Awf Hornjaw et Loragwyn and the Brigade (formerly Droop’s Brigade) may have reached the end of Lost Mines of Phandelver. Or not. It’s hard to know. Everyone’s favorite axe-wizard and friends may have killed their final enemy, and they may even have rescued a Rockseeker brother.
After putting session recaps on pause for a while, I’m returning to recapping our near-weekly campaign that started with D&D’s Starter Set and is likely to continue in Avernus. Recaps will only be written after Long Rests.
There may be spoilers. Don’t read on if you don’t want them.
This is the final week for Lore Collage to contain the “Inspiration” section. Instead that will be spit out as simpler quick articles similar to Inspiration is Everywhere: Trees. This is part of my effort to show that everyone is creative enough to play Dungeons & Dragons, as well as a reinforcement of the concept that every lived moment is prep for a Dungeon Master.
Last week, on the Wolf Moon, I published my latest tiny fiction. Please read it and the other fiction on this here blog because frankly, I like it when people see my stuff.
Official D&D Products Releases and Reviews
Adventurer’s League
The biggest news in D&D land is that the Adventurer’s League is moving all support to within official D&D channels. You’ll find games, rules announcements, and related news through the Yawning Portal. Whereas many see this as a reduction in the importance of AL, folding its presence within the tent where fans would look for D&D stuff more than anywhere else consolidates and amplifies its presence. It is no longer an adjunct, but a feature.
Screen Rant doesn’t like 5e slings, and I’m with them on that. My solve would be to switch up the typical 5e difference between standard and long ranges. Slings should have a much longer ranger available — let’s triple that.
Third-Party Products
Tribality reviewsMCDM’s Arcadia, the latest effort in a D&D magazine. tl;dr — it’s pro quality with pros who have put in extensive effort building 3rd party products.
Streaming D&D Shows
Basements & Bugbears is a D&D show focused on suicide prevention and involving Broadway theater talent.
The latest streaming partner for Wizards of the Coast features puppets.
Boston’s NPR station, WBUR, featured how D&D and Critical Role are helping people cope with the pandemic. The mainstreaming of the hobby will never stop surprising me.
In Huntsville, Alabama a D&D–themed café opens and is featured in AL.com and its affiliates.
Every time there is a new discovery of ancient pre-history in the real world it is a reminder that your D&D world needs similar history. In this case a little girl found a 220-million year old footprint. Give your creation a sense of history.
Out in the lands of Mehmd mammals and avians are rare. Many of the ecological and domestic niches are instead filled by lizards, amphibians and dinosaur-like creatures. The Taien Sahul are small saurs based on the Velociraptor by Sam Stockdale at ENWorld.
In Mehmd they tend to roam the wilderness, though certain tribes of Unkempt in the South and the Isles use them as companions. When free they roam in packs of 9 or so (3d6). Their Pounce needs quite a distance in order to be used, but when the commit they tend to rush prey quickly. Taien Sahul can survive in deserts, having advantage on CON checks to deal with dehydration.
Taien Sahul – the ripper lizard Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural) Hit Points 3 (1d6) Speed 45 ft., climb 10 ft.
STR 7 (–2) DEX 15 (+2) CON 10 (+0) INT 3 (–4) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 7 (–2)
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4 Senses passive Perception 14 Languages — Challenge: ½ CR 50 xp
Keen Sight: The raptor has advantage on sight-based Perception (WIS) checks. Pounce: If the raptor moves at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If a target is prone, the raptor can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. Pack Tactics: The raptor has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of the raptor’s allies is within 5 feet of the target and isn’t incapacitated.
ACTIONS Multiattack: The raptor makes two melee attacks, usually using both claws unless they’ve pounced. Bite:Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4+2 piercing damage. Claws:Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4+2 slashing damage.
Welcome to the 
