GM's tools

Since the pandemic forced our gaming group to migrate our campaigns to a virtual tabletop I've struggled with creating good maps. I think having a nice map enhanced the VTT experience, since the players can see the map in that situation. I'll be moving my Traveller game online to keep William in the campaign, and I'm happy to do it, but I think I'm done agonizing over the "right tool" for map creation.

When you sit in front of a computer all day, if you're like me, you may not want to spend the evening working on a computer. OK, maybe you like it. I don't. I find fiddling for hours with creating a map on the computer to be excruciating. What takes me very little time with pen and paper takes hours on the computer. 

This, after looking at computer-based options for a long time I've landed squarely back in the pen & paper camp.  I like to sit with my wife and our pets in the evening, watch TV or listen to music, and talk.  I don't want a bunch of wires and gadgets all over the place. So I've settled on the A5 size dot grid notebook as my preferred medium for writing games, drawing maps, and recording game session reports. I have one that I scribble notes in, plan out sessions, and mock up drawings and ideas, and one that I draw the "final" maps and session notes in. These notebooks take very little space at the table when we are playing and are easy to handle. When I need to look up monster stats or rules, whether I'm sitting in my chair in the evening working on an adventure or we're in the middle of a game, for D&D I just open up the right book in D&D Beyond. It makes it very convenient to look at the current versions of the player characters as well. During my workday, during lunch, I'll certainly use Google Docs to plan out sessions and ideas as well, but I print those out and have them at the table, rather than having my laptop there. 

So I feel like I've come to a point where I have a comfortable mix of basic pencil/pen & paper stuff mixed with appropriate technology, all of which streamlines my worldbuilding and scenario building as well as actually running the game. 

Obviously I write up the game sessions here on this blog (or on this one for Traveller), in order to make the information easily available to my players and friends. I also have a very affordable subscription to LegendKeeper where I keep the full records of my campaigns. LegendKeeper is allows you to create wikis for your campaigns, and it's great. Finally, I'm working on a little 5.5 x 8.5 3-ring binder to keep campaign info at the table. Small versions of maps, monsters, whatever, but I may not even do that since the A5 notebook seems to be filling that need. 

I am a little concerned about the effect of the upcoming 2024 changes to D&D Beyond, so it may soon get to the point I have to use the physical 2014 books, which is fine. We'll just see how it all works. If they just ruin its ability to run a 2014 5e game I'll just go right back to the physical books and be done with it for the time being. 

Session 5: the Alchemist's Tomb

Starting from where we left off...

The group members all get some rest. The next day they take the magic dagger to the Temple of Ahki, so Simon's mentor, Abbot Lightman, can examine it. The Abbot confirms that it is a +1 dagger, and not cursed despite its form. Mick keeps it. 

A couple of days pass. Debi plays music at the Eye and makes a few silvers. Mick concentrates on his study of magic on his way to becoming an Arcane Trickster. Simon goes about his duties and researches the Sethi cult by visiting the World Library. He succeeds in a research roll, and will now have a +2 to his Religion roll when trying to remember a fact about that cult. (As DM I am proud of this little embellishment, as I think it is a good way to reward good use of his research skill and his good roleplaying). 

2 nights later, as Debi is leaving the Eye of the Beholder, a strange softball sized glowing orb appears before her and invites her to visit it's master, assuring her no harm will befall her. Similar orbs visit Mick and Simon. All three follow the orbs, which lead them to street not far from the Eye, looking down a wide alley with which they are all familiar. The orbs disappear. While it is a typical foggy night in Langwon, at the bend in the alley the fog is particularly thick, and they see light shining through, indicating a door where no door should, in fact, exist. 

They approach the door. Debi takes time to listen, look, and smell. She smells incense, herbs, etc. They hear a sweet voice singing from inside, in a language they don't know.

Inside the door is a small shop. Crowded shelves line the walls, curios display odd items, tables are piled with books in languages never seen before. In a birdcage hanging from the ceiling sits a large insect, similar to a praying mantis but purple in color and 9 inches long, perched on a swing in a disconcertingly intelligent posture. The creature sings in a sweet voice. While not any recognizable language, it is clear that the creature is not simply repeating words, but telling a story in the form of a song.

Sitting in an old chair is a robed humanoid figure. The dark and somewhat tattered hood of its cloak is pulled up. The party thinks they see a face inside the hood, but it is impossible to make out no matter the angle. The hands, fingers and forearms are wrapped in rags. The being sits in the chair, bobbing its head to the rhythm of the insect's song.  

Debi speaks to the apparent shopkeeper, who only raises a finger to indicate "silence", holds a hand to an ear to indicate "listen", and continues bobbing its head.

Simon and Mick browse the shop. Debbie takes out her lyre and makes a performance roll, skillfully accompanying the singing bug. The other two browse the shelves and tables...

On one table is a messy pile of rolled-up scrolls. On the shelves they find a glass bottle with a shrunken human head in it. The eyes blink and look around. A flower that moves on its stalk like a snake, its red petals in constant movement. A round amulet that looks kind of like a sundial, but which makes a ticking sound, as small arms move slowly about its numbered surface. A flat, clear glass plate that contains a rainbow. The jawbone of a huge beast hangs from the ceiling, 5’ across, with huge sharp teeth attached. And books upon books upon books upon books, in languages unknown, some tiny as a thimble up to a few several feet tall. 

The song ends, and the being in the chair begins to clap, saying to the group "Applause! Show some appreciation for poor Magpie's singing." The being's voice sounds like multiple voices speaking together, male and female, young and old. It has no apparent gender. 

The creature introduces itself as Raxalliah the Merchant, who seeks lore, knowledge, and curiosities from across the multiverse.  Pointing to the many books and scrolls in the shop, Raxalliah proclaims loudly "Lore, lore, lore! There is power in the Lore!" Rax explains that it wants the group to obtain an item, having become aware of their talents and believing them up to the task. Rax gives, them a small scroll containing musical notes. 

Rax explains that decades ago a Langwonian alchemist named Karloff was the last person from this world to visit the Fae realm and come back to tell about it. A noted collector of lore and a scribe, Karloff wrote of his experience in a personal journal which is in his hidden treasure vault, in his tomb, which is hidden under his old house. Rax wants the group to bring it that book, noting that in the vault each may find items and information useful to them. The group accepts the task. Debbie plays the notes, which form a beautiful and pleasing piece. 

Rax gives them the location of the old store/house and the players leave. Once they step into the alley the extra fog dissipates and the door to the shop is gone.

They proceed to Merchant Street, on the outskirts of the Great Market. The house is a single story with a pitched roof. The front windows are broken out and the place is in a state of disrepair. 

The group looks in the house, then enters, finding it to be a very humble shop, with simple living quarters on one side and apothecary on the other. Everything has been looted. On the business side, behind a counter, they find skeletal human remains in tattered rages. They also find stone stairs leading down 10', ending in a storage basement. Shelving remains with broken bottles, as well as yet another skeleton. There is an open portal which leads to a workshop, in which they find a big oven, a large glass boiling vessel remarkably unbroken, a workbench, a moldy rug, and two more human skeletons. The group investigates the room. Debi uses Mage Hand to move the run but finds nothing under it. Mick looks for secret doors or compartments in the shelving and stove, as does Simon. Debi notices a hole in the wall about 9" in diameter, that looks like the opening to a pipe or small tunnel. On the workbench they find two 1' long iron bars connected by a ball and joint hinge. After checking out the room, Debi plays the scroll song on her lyre, and a section of wall vanishes, revealing more stairs down.

This leads them to a 10'x10' room. The light from Simon's Light spell reveals two statues. He make his Religion roll, and recognizes one figure as Vorstik, God of Alchemists. He and Debi both recognize the other as a depiction of Karstairs, Goddess of Music. They examine the stone statues finding nothing unusual.

They open the one door in this room which opens to a corridor. To the left about 10' down is another door. Going to the right, about 15' down Mick and Simon find a turn into another set of stone steps leading another 10' down to a corridor ending in a stone wall. As they are standing at the end of that hallway, Debi hears something behind her in the statue room, she turns and sees four metal spiders -- rusty iron balls on eight rusty iron legs, with big rusty iron mandibles! Two of the spiders are in the hallway about to attack Mick and Simon!

Debi strums her lyre, unleashing a Thunderwave spell that blows the constructs to bits, green fluid leaking from the blown-apart metal spheres that were their bodies. Simon and Mick destroy the two attacking them as well!

The group descends the stairs. Mick sees a small humanoid face disappear into one of the mysterious holes in the wall of the stair well. They find no opening at the end, and decide to explore the other room before Debit attempts to use the song to open any potential secret door. 

They go back and check the door. Debbie opens it with Mage Hand. She listens and hears dripping water. 

Entering, they find a large room with a door at the nearest end, an raised section with bevelled edges  in the middle, some old shelves of alchemical materials. The edges of the platform are carved with arcane script. As he's been studying magic a bit, Mick makes and Arcana roll. He is not good enough yet to fully read it (he isn't yet a spellcaster), but thinks it says something about "imbuing with power." The far side of the room is wet, and they see why Debi heard dripping sounds. They see another of the mysterious holes in the wall. In each of the far corners are clumps of large fungi. Mick moves closer to get a look at some shelves and a big violet mushroom shoots out a 10' long tentacle dealing him a few points of necrotic damage! He ducks into the door and sees jars and containers full of preserved human body parts. He leaves, they leave the room and shut the door. They decide to leave this room.

Returning to the stairs, they carefully descend. Debi once again plays the song, which causes an open doorway to appear. Down 10' feet of stairs they find a large room full of well-preserved books and scrolls and a couple of small flasks. There is a small portal on the other side, but guarding this room is another spider construct - this one much bigger - and it attacks. The players fight it, using bludgeoning weapons when possible, as Mick's dagger and short sword don't seem fully effective. The spider bites Debi, but she is saved from serious damage by her dexterity and skill, taking only 1 point! The spider lashes out at Simon with a spear-ended foot, but his shield saves him! Together they manage to batter the spider-machine, with Simon delivering the killing blow with his mace!

The start going through the items in the vault, which are very well preserved. They find the journal Rax is seeking. Debi finds a history of the Elf-Dwarf War which happened some 3000 years ago. Simon find some information on the Sethi cult, which was powerful during Karloff's lifetime. They find two potions of healing, 2 spell scrolls, and instructions for creating a flesh gollum (which they all realize no one probably should have).

They also find a map, describing a path through the Under-City to outside the city walls, accessed from a tunnel beneath Karloff's body -- which they find in the final room. The perfectly preserved body of Karloff, clad in his alchemist's robs, lies on a stone slap 4' high. According the the map it can be move to reveal this entrance to the Under-City.

The party leaves the complex, Debi using the song to close the magic doors behind them.

End of Session.
3 more days elapsed in campaign.
7 total days elapsed.
200 XP each.

Session 4: the Dagger part 2

We resume the game as the PCs stand across the street from the estate of Scumtown noble Rivas Greel, back in an alley. Mick, disguised as a crippled beggar, has just failed to pick the magic dagger from Rivas's pocket, but succeeds in a deception roll to cover up his attempted theft as the simple clumsiness of a stooped panhandler.

They know that Rivas and his bodyguard Larsh have left for the evening, so they decide to look around the walls of the estate. The estate sits on a square lot, 120' x 120'. They go down the narrow alley on the west side, bordered by 3 multi-story buildings. The wall is 15' high, made of stone. Mick examines the wall and decides he can probably climb it. He makes is roll. Debi and Simon wait below. As Mick reaches the top, he peeks over. He can see that the wall is 2' thick. He can see trees in front of him through the heavy nighttime fog as well as the house, which is three stories high. Dim light shines through the curtains of most of the windows, but is brighter in the middle window of the second floor. As Mick raises himself higher her hears something moving in the treeline and fog and hears quiet snarling sounds. He drops back down and reports to his companions.

They continue down the alley, and at the far end Mick does the same thing. In that far corner of the yard he sees a small building, and beyond it another small shack. He again hears movement and snarling and sees two large wolf-like creatures coming toward the wall, each with a spiked collar. The collars also have metal wolf face piece facing forward, similar to the image on the wolf amulets worn by Rivas, Larsh, and the goblin gate keeper.  He drops down and reports. Debit make a history roll, recalling lore she has read about creatures called Worgs -- huge twisted wolves of evil temperament, what were ridden by goblins into battle in past ages. 

They turn the corner and enter the alley behind the house. On this side there are two buildings, then a small stone shed, and two buildings. They examine the shed. It has a locked heavy wood door. There is a very small window. It is dark inside. As they get to the next corner, just to test the water, Simon casts a Thaumaturgy spell, creating the squawking of a bird in a tree, loud enough for the worgs to hear. They start making noise. Then the PCs hear a harsh squeaky voice yelling at the animals in an unknown language and they quiet down. 

Deciding that they really have no clear objective inside the house, and having found no easy and safe way into the grounds, they decide to return to the Eye of the Beholder tavern to confer.

At the Eye they see the mysterious thief they have encountered a couple of times, who Mick has somewhat befriended. After they've been there an hour, Rivas and Larsh walk in. Apparently the Eye is now one of Rivas's preferred drinking spots. The group brainstorms ways to relieve Rivas of the dagger. They consider having Debi use Charm Person on the bodyguard and various other tactics. They also consider paying the thief to create some sort of distraction to draw the bodyguards's attention while Mick attempts to lift the knife. 

Mick approaches the thief and they finally introduce themselves, learning that the thief's name is Slovas. Mick makes his proposal. About this time Rivas sees Debi in the bar and is DELIGHTED. "AHHH...the talented elf! Sing us a song, elf! Sing us a song!". Put on the spot, Debi takes the stage, takes out her lyre, composing and singing "The Ballad of the Worgs" on the spot. Hearing the subject of the song Rivas is even more delighted. Debi makes a great performance roll. All eyes are on her. Mick and Slovas start to move, while Simon sits tight and keeps an eye on things. 

Suddenly behind Rivas, near the bar, Slovas pushes a man and loudly accuses him of trying to pick his pocket! Slovas makes a very effective Deception roll. Mick has moved into position. Even Larsh turns his attention to the uproar. As Larsh and Rivas turn, Mick deftly removes the dagger from inside Rivas's tunic! 

Seeing that Mick has finished his crime, Slovas stops the commotion, looks at the man and says "Oh - I am sorry! I thought you were someone else!" and embraces the man in friendship, picking his pocket in the process. 

Slovas leaves the tavern. Mick quietly leaves as well, meeting up with Slovas outside and paying him for his work. Simon quietly leaves. Debi finishes her song, leaving the crowd and Rivas in a great mood. She tips Vern the barkeep as she leaves. As she is walking out she hears Rivas loudly order a steak...

The PCs leave the area and go to Mick's mentor's house. Blix Yodarian, the 300 year old gnome Arcane Trickster is glad to see them, even at this late hour. He is impressed by their work, and tells Mick that he believes Mick is ready to start learning some magic, having proven himself by getting the dagger. Blix casts an Identify spell on the weapon. It is finely crafted and of amazing quality, with jewels in the hilt, and a pommel shaped like a hideous monster. Despite its evil appearance, Blix determines it is not cursed, but is in fact magic. The group decides that Mick should keep it. It is a +1 magic dagger.  

They decide to go to the Temple of Ahki in the morning to show it to Abbot Lightman.

End of Session
XP awards: total for 2 sessions, fantastic roleplaying, use of non-combat skills and abilities, thinking on their feet, tactics, etc. 165XP
Game days elapsed: still 4

Session 3: the Dagger

 On the way out of the Temple of Sethi the party stops to check a few things. They discover that the dagger in the skull, on the sacrificial platform, is only a fancy lever to open the secret door, not a real dagger. Mick finds another secret door, but is unable to figure out how to open it. 

They go back to the Temple of Ahki, so that Simon can report in to Abbot Lightman regarding the excursion. The Abbot compliments them on a job well done, accepts 25gp for the temple from the loot found, and casts spells on the magic ruby, discovering it is cursed. Again, he compliments the group on using Debi's Mage Hand spell to handle it, rather than touching it directly. He orders that it be locked away in the temple's vault and made secure.

The Abbot says that the evil cleric is not talking. Simon can tell he is frustrated, as he doesn't want to let her go, but also has no desire to keep prisoner in the temple's dungeon indefinitely. Debi suggests that you might catch more flies with honey, and asks to take the cleric some blankets and some wine to try to loosen her tongue.

As Simon leads Debi down to the small cell block in the basement, Mick chats up Abbot Lightman to find out about temple. 

In the basement, Simon and Debi come to the wooden door to the small row of cells. Debi opens the viewing window and sees the cleric asleep on a stone slab, gagged, with her hands bound in front of her. Debi casts a Charm spell on her from behind the door (DM rolls in secret for the cleric's save -- which is a natural 20! Secret roll - Debi doesn't know if it worked). They enter the cell, removing the gag but not the bonds, and offer her some wine. Debi uses her high charisma to great effect, softening the woman's mood a bit. Simon plays bad cop to some extent. Debi play a song on her lyre, about the recent adventure. The cleric compliments her, still refuses to give her name, but does say that if they release her she'll take them back to the temple and show them what that ruby is for, which is valuable info. Then she clams up again. 

Abbot Lightman suggests that the group get some sleep, that Mick get cleaned up (he is still slimed up from the monster fight), and the celebrate their success. He praises Simon for his skill as well as his friends.

The next day they meet at the Eye of the Beholder for lunch. While there a larger party enters the tavern. The center of attention is a man recognized by Mick as a "Scumtown Noble" name Rivas Greel. He and his party are loud and celebratory. Debi takes the stage to entertain and get a good view of the tavern. Mick sees the thief he met up on the roof a few days before in the bar. They all notice that Rivas is eating his steak with a very very nice jewel-hilted dagger. This draws Mick's attention. He wanders by the table and overhears Rivas bragging about his recent adventure and engages Rivas in conversation.  Entertained by Debi's music Rivas is in a great and talkative mood. His massive bodyguard is stern and unimpressed. Apparently he recently "lead" a group of adventurers to the Old City, days away in the mountains, where a few perished but the rest got away with loot, including this beautiful dagger! He LOVES it. The PCs notice that the pommel on the weapon is molded into the likeness of demon, much like the statues they saw in the Temple of Sethi. (at this point we've made lots of perception and skill rolls with a lot of roleplaying interaction). 

Simon quietly says a prayer -- actually a Detect Magic spell -- and sees that dagger has a magic aura. The PCs also notice that Rivas and his bodyguard are both wearing small wolf-face amulets. These are also radiating magic (which I forgot to tell the PCs, and will have to tell on the next session). 

The Rivas party breaks up and Rivas and the bodyguard leave. Debi and Mick stealth along the busy streets trailing them deeper into Scumtown. They see them go up to an estate with 15' stone walls and enter the front gate. 

The group meets back up and consults with Abbot Lightman and Mick's mentor, Blix Yodarian.

The Abbot suggest to Simon that he should investigate, since the dagger does look like it could be connected to whatever evil source the cult worships. Blix Yodarian, a 300 year old gnome Arcane Trickster and Mick's mentor, is excited and impressed by his student's exploits. He tells Mick that if he'll bring that dagger to him to see (stealing it from Rivas Greel), he thinks Mick will be ready to start learning some magic. He says, regarding Rivas, "the fool doesn't even know what he's got!", adding the he'd pilfer the house too.

The group scouts out Rivas's estate, but can't see a lot due to the high walls. There is a tall house, probably three stories, and trees on the other side. Rather then burgle the place, they decide to try picking Rivas's pocket and getting the dagger as a first try. 

Night falls. The fog rolls in. 

Debi uses her disguise kit to make Mick up as an old beggar. The group waits in an alley across the street, and Mick takes to the role out on the sidewalk, walking like a stooped cripple and begging from passersby. Finally Rivas and his bodyguard come out the gate. The teams sees the gate is opened by a skinny goblin. Quickly, Debi gives Mick Bardic Inspiration, and Simon casts bless on him. Properly magically boosted, Mick approaches the duo. Rivas is still in a fantastic mood, and says "Larsh, give this man a few coppers."  Mick accepts the offer in his cup and falls upon Rivas in gratitude, attempting to steal the dagger from inside his tunic. Mick fails his roll badly! He then makes a Deception roll with a very high roll, and manages to play off the incident as clumsiness. The bodyguard pulls him away and the pair continue on their way.

End of session. Excellent roleplaying! The group will continue to Plan B in the next session. 

Game days elapsed: 4
Time in session. 3.5 hours
XP awards (to be added at the end), 30 for fantastic roleplaying! So proud of our players! Great stuff! and 25 for great use of skills and abilities out of combat. Resourceful and creative.