Expanded Thieves Cant

One exciting but underutilized feature of the rogue class in D&D is the ability of thieves cant. Sometimes, DMs make use of thieves cant by describing a criminal ally as speaking in a manner of code, and sometimes, the ability just gets overlooked altogether. But it's a truly interesting feature which can be used in interesting ways. One way I've utilized is by including it in my novel about my rogue player character. There have been various suggestions in the D&D world for what thieves cant really sounds like, but I had a fairly distinct idea in mind with my world. I've decided that these phrases are canon thieves cant in my world as well, and I'm sharing this terminology here so that you can use it in yours, too. Below is a list of 50 words and phrases with double meanings in thieves cant. 

And lastly, a word on using this material: I recommend having a character who knows thieves cant and suspects a party member knows it just immediately launch into thieves cant. This would mean leaving your players in confusion for a moment, but you actually want that in this situation. After you've spoken a bit in thieves cant, translate to the player character(s) who would have understood it, but remind the other players that their characters just think this person sounds a little off. Once thieves cant is established as an ability, you can allow the party to pass coded messages during interactions with other people. The players will have lots of ideas about how to implement this idea, so be prepared! And most of all, have fun. 

The word on the left is the word or phrase used in thieves cant, and the word or phrase on the right is its meaning in common speech. 

Criminal Terms

1. Baker - Criminal
2. Fingertip - Pickpocket
3. Statue - "Muscle"; an armed, dangerous ally
4. Shadow - Cat Burglar
5. Priest - Con Artist
6. Pursestrings - Mercenary
7. Buck - a "Mark"; a target
8. Bread - Payment or Spoils 
9. Cake - Coins
10. Rabbit - Jewels or Treasure
11. Clicks - Lockpicking Tools
12. Bit - Trap
13. Drain - attacking someone when they're vulnerable or unaware; to "Sneak Attack"
14. Toe - to move cautiously; to use "Stealth"
15. Bid - a successful lie

Communication - Thieves

1. "I've seen several hawks recently" - roughly "I speak thieves cant and suspect that you do too," to which the reply is "I have too--they are doing well" ("I do speak thieves cant")
2. "Weather's been kind lately" - "Hello, I mean you no harm"
3. "You look like you've walked a thousand miles" - "You look like you're in trouble--do you need help?" 
4. "I'm feeling foggy; could you repeat that?" - indicates that the person saying it does not trust the person who they ask 
5. "I recall a story from childhood about a witch" - "You are making things difficult for me, and I want you to stop"
6. "I was just reading about the dragons" - "If you go a step further, I will sabotage or kill you"
7. "Have you ever been bitten by a serpent*?" - "You seem to not realize you're in a dangerous situation"  [*it must be the word "serpent"--"snake" denotes an honest question about snakebites]
8. "I've heard your baking is delicious" - "I suspect or know you've just made a lot of money, and I want a part of it" (thieves will generally add "let me try your [foodstuff related to the reason for demanding a part ("honey tart" - poisoning threat, "oatcake" - blackmailing threat, "ginger snaps" - theft threat)]
9. "They built the fire too close to the tree" - "Law officers are aware of what you/we have done and are on the way"
10. "Quietly now, fetch a pail" - "Don't act alerted or suspicious; there is a law officer nearby"

Communication - General 

1. "Consider the tiny snail" - "Someone is watching us"
2. "The hound only has to catch the slowest hare" - "Someone is planning to target you with some attack" 
3. "Does the sun/moon [whichever is out] look especially large to you?" - "You seem to be feeling unwell--are you?" 
4. "Where did you go last fall?" - "Do you believe what we're being told?" ("I toured the countryside" - "I don't believe it"; "I stayed at home" - "I believe it")
5. "Did you play jacks as a child?" - "Do you think we can handle the situation we're in?" 
6. "I painted a fence a few weeks ago" - "Let me take the lead in this situation" 
7. "That book has more pages than sense" - "I think this situation is too good to be true" 
8. "If they know it, they have the gods' attention" - Whatever information the person is referring to is vitally important; it is implied that the person speaking is suggesting that everyone pursue the information
9. "A teapot with cracks is still pretty" - "We've done all we can, and it's time to give up and try something else"
10. "Stumps are still good for sitting" - "We're almost there and just need to push a little further" 

General Terms

1. Claw - Slashing Weapon
2. Tooth - Piercing Weapon
3. Hoof - Bludgeoning Weapon
4. Hide - Armor
5. Bug - Enemy
6. Vermin - Enemy Leader
7. Glass - Prisoners/Hostages
8. Dream - Monster
9. The Dance - Magic
10. Poke - Steal 
11. "Put Words To" - Lie
12. Flip - Kill
13. Handle - Heal 
14. Hold - Help, especially in combat
15. Mouth - Familiar/Animal Companion/Pet

There you have it--a whole list of words and phrases to use to spice up your game, add immersion, and feature your rogue characters. Or you could use this as the beginning of a much larger list that includes your own additions. It's all possible, but only when you choose to use it as it fits your game. Don't have any rogue characters but still want to use it? Introduce a rogue NPC who uses the language and then has to explain it to the nonfluent characters--it would still add detail and immersion without having a particular character to relate it to. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: pets by D&D culture in my homebrew setting, the 10 most important lessons I've learned as a GM, and parenting by D&D culture in my homebrew setting. Until next time, happy gaming!

List of Interesting Cities

One of the most exciting things as a player is visiting a captivating new place. These can take the form of amazing natural wonders, fascinating cities, and so much more. But building an interesting place from the ground up takes work. So I've created a list of interesting cities you can adapt to your game with just a bit of work. Please enjoy (and use) these cities!

1. Brewer's Dam

This city is situated at the end of a large lake partially created by the dam they built there. But rather than damming the river that runs through the lake and building nearby, the original settlers conserved wood by building the city into the dam itself. Over time, intricate loch systems have been built along the mouth of the river with floating neighborhoods connecting the halfway point of the lake to the city on the dam proper. On the ground at the dam's edge is a small outpost for travelers who find the floating inns to be unnerving, and the city's public office is located there for diplomatic matters, but aside from that, the entire city of Brewer's Dam lies on the foundation of the dam or on floating platforms connected to it. The woods nearby which had been cleared have mostly regrown now, and travelers who arrive in the dark often don't realize that there was a city there at all. Fish are cultivated, and foragers search the nearby woods for supplemental food. Rumors say that the scientists in Brewer's Dam are on the verge of harnessing water-power. 

2. Sky Bridge

This city took nearly three centuries to build, consisting of four tall towers which extend high into the sky. Each tower is made of alternating living quarters/shop accommodations and strengthening brick layers, and every few floors is a bridge to the adjacent towers to upper and lower levels as well as direct links across. Spiraling walkways with safety walls along the outside have been built around the outsides of the towers, allowing more direct transportation up and down. Neighborhoods are formed by tower and floor allegiances. The higher the home or business, the higher the respect afforded to it, and in fact, the highest level is occupied by Sky Bridge governmental officers. Because there is little ability to sustain the city through agriculture, the citizens of Sky Bridge have a complex system of trade relationships that keep the city reliably supplied with enough food for its citizens. Denizens of the lowest levels of the towers have largely resorted to hunting and gathering outside the tower rather than pay the notably high food price. 

3. Freedom Island

This city is a massive boat towing a series of smaller boats, each outfitted to carry the citizens and the necessary supplies to survive at sea. The main ship was to be the first of several like it to haul huge shipments around the continent, but when the first ship was quickly captured by pirates, the company producing the ships reconsidered, and the pirates' crew has managed to evade naval law for decades. Thus, the ship (renamed Freedom Island by its commanding crew) has remained a roving city on the sea, occasionally anchoring near land for personnel changes and supply trades. To sustain its people, Freedom Island has constructed mechanical improvements to standard fishing gear, allowing them to hook and land larger fish than conventional fishing allows for. The pirate crew in charge of Freedom Island maintains that it is an anarchic state with no governmental structure, but they also concede that all citizens of Freedom Island are considered liable for the defense of it against foreign powers. 

4. Lanshire-Down-Below

There are ghostly stories of Lanshire-Up-Above, the town which appears to be perfectly preserved and yet is totally absent of any life. It's a place that children dare one another to go, and one where they frequently fright before the dare is complete. It would not be so if they knew of Lanshire-Down-Below, a perfectly identical city built exactly underneath its surface sister city. Some legends say that the cities were built together, and others claim that one of the cities came first, though they disagree about which one. All that is certain is that one specific closet door in Lanshire-Up-Above hides a trapdoor which leads to a long, winding tunnel that ends in that same closet, but in Lanshire-Down-Below. Through that passage, the people of Lanshire-Down-Below occasionally contact the outer world for emergencies, but mostly, they stick to themselves, paranoid of surface dwellers' motives. They harvest mushrooms and lichens in the caves where they reside, and they hunt the dire creatures who live there too. 

5. The Failsafe

In the days of long-gone history, there was nearly world domination by [whoever you want, but let's say "elves" for this example], who at the height of their power built a series of forts. One was intended to endlessly defensible, a fortress that would never fall. It was called The Failsafe, and it was built at the center of the continent, where it would give the elves a permanent foothold away from their home territory. When eventually the period of war became a period of peace, the Failsafe's purpose was largely forgotten by its mostly new inhabitants. The fortress itself is a series of circles:

Failsafe as seen from above.

As you can see, an assault on the central fort of the city would involve fighting through three more walls as well. The city that has sprung up around the old fortress is a series of neighborhoods which utilize the former defenses into housing and businessfronts. No special needs for food are required, as the Failsafe is surrounded by lovely farmland. 

6. Kettleford Range

There are certainly cities along the mountain range, and even a few that make homes of plateaus along the range. But none have made use of the range itself like Kettleford Range. This city is built upon terraced foundations cut into the mountain range with great ramps stretching from the ground up the mountainside. The buildings (and the terraces they rest on are perfectly level, an achievement by the builders that cut the city into the mountainside. While many buildings are constructed of brick or wood atop the terraces, a great many that lie closer to the back walls of the terraces are cut directly from the mountain itself--that is to say, the buildings there are actually connected to and made of the same stuff as the ground. Kettleford Range stretches along over a mile and a half of the mountain range, and careful efforts at growing crops on newly terraced areas is proving effective enough that the city can reduce its reliance on hunting the native animals. 

7. Dijum

[Note: This city is taken directly from my homebrew setting.] Deep in the grasslands lies a massive rainforest, complete with humid, warm climate, exotic plants and animals, and towering trees. This rainforest is home to a great proportion of the unique wildlife in the world and is known as treacherous to travel through. In the center of this rainforest is a great lake, Lake Chalba. And in the center of Lake Chalba is an island, most of which is covered by the city of Dijum. Lake Chalba is considered to be a holy site of the beginning of sentient life, and Dijum has become the center for the pilgrims who go there. These pilgrims must first face the dangerous rainforest, but the city of Dijum within is calm, accepting to strangers, and idyllic. And yet threats from outside, from those who would threaten the peace and prosperity of Dijum do exist, and a collective of concerned citizens patrol the rainforest to tend to wounded travelers and keep an eye out for those who may jeopardize the city. Foraging provides all the city needs for food. 

8. Valcora

Off the coast are the volcanoes. Some say that their eruptions formed the continent we live on, but across the water lives a city unafraid of the volcanic activity. The city of Valcora rests on a plateau halfway up the highest of the volcanic peaks. The newly-built city was warned against by many, but a mass of headstrong builders and adventurers made their way across the sea in great boats carrying supplies, and though it took a generation, the city was built. It's rested there for a while--long enough for people to become complacent. They've become a trade powerhouse to accommodate for their diets, as nothing grows on the volcanic ground, and have adopted a fairly public system of distributing food fairly. A Valcora scientist says that the volcano may erupt in the near future and needs help investigating how to prevent it--your party can help. 

9. Desert Rose

The desert stretches for miles and miles in every direction, and practically no life grows anywhere in it. Anywhere except the Desert Rose, a sprawling city founded in the middle of a great oasis. Enormous farms span out from the city, a scattered collection of wooden, stone, and canvas buildings. Despite the hardness to come by certain materials, the city has gotten by on a sense of ingenuity and persistence. Many common items which have been difficult to get in the middle of a desert have been approximated with makeshift inventions and substitutions, such as the use of bone as a structuring material in place of wooden beams. And though the physical structure of the city may be modest, it provides a great many social amenities that other communities aspire to, such as a public playhouse, a library, and full school. The only real difficulty in Desert Rose is that the desert lies between two warring factions, which puts it between enemies in a lot of situations. 

10. Hapsfield

Most cities in this region tend to show off their use of nature in building their cities, but Hapsfield had different plans. The eccentric and very rich founder of Hapsfield absolutely detested the presence of plant matter on streets or horse droppings in public, so he insisted that all non-humanoid life in the city limits must be artificial only. At first glance, Hapsfield is a beautiful city with trees and flowers planted everywhere. But closer inspection reveals that each tree is a preserved tree cut off at the roots, each flower and leaf made of cloth. But even closer inspection shows that there indeed are animals in Hapsfield--birds in nests in trees, rabbits peeking out of bushes--only to see that even these are taxidermied and posed to look natural. Everything else about Hapsfield seems fairly normal, but the eerieness of the lack of life is hard to ignore for many visitors. Accordingly, the people who stay in Hapsfield tend to be the ones who have been there a while, where visitors seem to shy away pretty quickly. As a result, the population in Hapsfield has slowly declined, and there is considerable speculation in nearby towns on what will happen with its founder passes away. 

That's ten unique cities you can use in almost any context in your games. We've all done the same few "cool ideas" before, so why not try these twists? You never know what these ideas might add to your game or how your players will enjoy exploring a new place. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: an expanded list of thieves cant, pets by D&D culture in my homebrew setting, and the 10 most important lessons I've learned as a GM. Until next time, happy gaming!

Different Descriptions of Common Items for Variety

One of the issues I ran into pretty frequently as a beginning DM was that I was thinking of most of the parts of the world as interchangeable. By this, I meant that a longsword was simply a longsword to me--any longsword was essentially the same. This is in part because the game rules dictate that essentially all longswords are the same according to combat rules. But of course, no two longswords are going to be exactly the same. So this is a guide to common items with a variety of descriptions to keep your game fresh. 

A List of Ideas for Character Backstories

For me, one of the greatest joys in tabletop games is making a character. By that, I mean the whole process. From choosing a class and race or the equivalent information to developing that character's personality, there's so much to decide. But the backstory is probably where I've classically spent the most time. You may have read about how I created 80 pages of backstory documents for a cleric I played or read a chapter from the novel I've been writing as a backstory for a rogue I'm currently playing. I say this bashfully--I acknowledge that admitting this to a non-tabletop gamer would get me some weird looks. But to me, it's a huge part of the fun of the game. 

But for every player like me who wants to develop every detail of the character, there is another player who is so daunted by the idea of making a person up out of nothing that they don't know where to begin. That's why I thought I'd share some of my extra energy in this arena with you, the overwhelmed player. You came looking for backstory ideas, and I've got you covered. 

Below are 25 ideas for backstories to get you started. I don't want to take away the fun of getting into the details--that's for you. Remember that you can take parts you like from any of these and rework or combine them! Your goal is to end up with something you're passionate about, so get creative and have fun.

1. The Hero Out of Time - You are descended from a long line of nobles who have always done right by their people. But as time has worn on, your position of power has waned, and now you are being ignored like you have never known. The time has come to leave your defunct holdings behind and either set right what took your power or make your fortune anew. You might be begrudging, hopeful, or determined about your plight. 
2. Mistakenly Involved - You are certainly capable in your own right, but you had been pleasantly living a quiet life. Then suddenly, some new twist seems to have upended you. You are stuck with a group of unpredictable people (perhaps the party). Your involvement might be because people in power think you're part of the group or because of some coincidence. Part of your struggle will be in either returning to your quiet life or learning to live a little louder. 
3. At War with the Gods - You've explored a handful of religious beliefs in your life, but none has ever given you more than anxiety. But the more you come to resent them, the more life's troubles seem like punishments from the gods. Part of you isn't sure if it's all in your head. You may mask your anxiety well, or not at all. (Be sure to check this one with your DM, who may have their own agenda when it comes to handling gods-related things.)
4. The Troubled Parent - You're a good, attentive parent to a wonderful child. The problem is that your child is very sick. You've tried everything, but they only get worse. You're in search of a cure, and you'll work alongside anyone who can help you. You can portray varying levels of stress depending on what the context calls for. (Check in with your DM about the details of the illness--they'll probably want to consider how that storyline plays out.)
5. The Simple Farmer - You grew up on a farm without ever straying too far. You only know about the big city because Pa told you about his trip there as a boy. But that story never faded from your mind. All those days out in the fields, you dreamed of more. And now, it's time to find out what's out there. You may be a naïve wanderer, you may be searching for something, or you may just want something different. 
6. The Lone Survivor - You lived on an outpost on the edge of civilization. Something from beyond the edge came to visit, and it killed everyone--everyone but you. You're sharp from years of growing up on the edge, but you know you can't get revenge on your own. It's time to gather the forces you can and get ready. (Actually returning to your home is of course up to your DM, but as a driving force, it will keep you motivated.)
7. "I Just Want a Good Book" - You are a voracious reader. You've heard talk of a legendary text that no one has seen in centuries. You've taken to searching tombs, dungeons, and lairs for traces of it. Every new discovery of a scroll or spellbook means you are poring over its pages, insistent on learning just what it holds. You may be obsessive in your quest, or you may just know the text would be worth a pretty coin. 
8. The Young Ace - From a young age, you just got it. Even though you're still young, you're already out in the world being trusted with adult responsibilities. But getting responsibilities isn't the same as being treated like an adult. You're driven to prove to everyone that you're capable of being trusted. You may play this struggle as a serious clash between identity and society, or you may decide to take it in an altogether sillier direction. 
9. The Salty Dog - Something about life on the sea drew you in during your youth years ago, and you've spent those many years on ships, rarely docking and never straying from a port city. And though your life on the waves has been good to you, you've realized it's time to move on to something new. You've set foot on dry land and decided to find out what life here is really like. You may play this as a fish out of water comedy or a more serious coming to terms with the changes you didn't expect to find. 
10. The Disillusioned Veteran - You grew up mimicking soldiers and fantasizing about serving in battles. Then you got older and did those things. It was nothing like you imagined--there was no honor, but only carnage. It changed you, made you more empty. Now the war is over and you're back in society with everyone. But no one listens to what you say you've seen. You might play this more as someone trying to change peoples' minds or more as a victim of paralysis. 
11. The Delinquent Student - Your wealthy parents have always given you the best of the best. So too with your education--only you didn't go. When they sent you off to the fancy university in the mountains, you skipped out and have been carousing across the continent on their money. Part of you wants to see how far the coin will go, and part of you is ignoring the consequences. Your reluctance to get an education may be humorous or a genuine resistance to being ordered around. 
12. The Curious Writer - You've spent your life writing, learning about new things and skills via the writing of others. But in your most recent project, you realized that certain things must be felt firsthand to be able to satisfyingly describe. So you've set out to begin experiencing those things, aiming your work at the ultimate goal: to meaningfully change the world and learn what that would feel like. 
13. "I Just Want to Start Over" - You had a good life. But then tragedy struck--someone close to you, someone you were nursing when they were sick, died, and everyone thought it was your fault. At first you tried to explain, but nobody listened. Life got hard for you. You decided to move away and start over. You picked up what you could and dropped yourself into life in a new place. But will you really be able to leave it all behind for good?
14. The Protective Sibling - Your parents died years ago, and you've been watching out for your little sibling ever since. They're kind of an odd one. They have a made-up language that only they speak, and sometimes you catch them staring at people in weird ways. Perhaps that's to be expected; they're the one who killed your parents. How and why they did so is for you to decide, as is why you keep protecting the murderous sibling. 
15. "I Just Want to Fit In" - You were raised in a secluded culture in which you were marked as a special person at birth. All your life, everyone you know has treated you like you were more than mortal. You have come to hate this--you want to live like anyone else. You fled from your secluded society and entered the world. Now you must learn what is normal in your new home and learn to be just like anyone else. 
16. The Watcher - You've seen lots of people claim to have everyone's best interest in mind. You think it's obvious that they don't really. Before, when you were growing more powerful, you saw through their act, but now you can do something about it. You're starting to watch the people in charge, and you're going to make them actually do what they say. You might play this as a realistic take on a superhero or more of a paranoid type for humor. 
17. The Dearly Departed - You were married for years before it happened. You were holding their hand one minute, and then suddenly, they were gone. Disappeared. No one had heard of anything like this, and they assured you that they were just missing. No one just disappeared. But you know it--they were there and then gone. You've got to find them. But where do you start looking, and who will listen? (Work with your DM here--they'll want to have something in place for the disappearance.)
18. The Penny Pincher - Years of just barely scraping by have left their mark on you. You're painfully hesitant to part with any amount of money for any reason at all. The people in your life know now to ask you for financial help, more for your reaction than the lack of help. You've realized it's destroying your relationships, so you're experimenting with better sources of income. You may also decide to experiment with changing your ways. 
19. The Performer - You're not dishonest--you're just putting your best foot forward. You've noticed that people tend to be happier when you're happier. If only you could help people see the truth of the matter--but no one listens unless it sounds good. So you've just taken to giving a little shine to the truth, even if it makes it a little less true. You may learn the folly of your ways, or you may carry on sugarcoating things for people, but it affects the way you experience the world. 
20. The Lonely Immigrant - You left your homeland behind to make something of yourself here. But something about you marks you as different from the people here, and you are held at a distance. As you struggle to make a life for yourself, those around you make it harder for you to survive. Will you fight against what marks you as different? Will you prove yourself unworthy of their assumptions? Will you find others like you? (Work with your DM to determine how your character will be different from the people around them. Be willing to compromise here.)
21. The Imaginary Friend - Something happened to you that made you a little different in the head. Ever since, you've had a friend only you can see and hear. It sure puts people off when you talk to your friend, so you've learned to keep that kind of thing private. The thing is, though, that ever since you learned to blend in, your friend has been talking about scary things. Dangerous things. You may play this invisible friend for humor or horror.
22. The World Traveler - The world is a big place, and you want to see it all. You want to taste every cuisine, hear every local tune, feel the pulsing of every city known to humanity. But travelling is pricy, and it can be dangerous, so you've learned to finance your travels through creative means. You've done odd work wherever you can find it because you know adventure is just around the corner. (Work with your DM to get a good sense of the gameworld so you can determine where you've been and what you know.)
23. The Captive - You led a pretty normal life. Exceptionally normal, in fact, until you were kidnapped. Your captor or captors held you for over a year, feeding you only enough to survive and performing strange experiments on you which you only discovered via the marks left on your body. And then, just as suddenly, you were released into the woods. What will you do now that you've regained your agency? And will you ever be able to find out what happened to you?
24. The Fine Artist - You've always had an eye for beauty. You've had your adventures, and you've begun to paint, sculpt, and otherwise memorialize your achievements. The art catches peoples' eyes, but do you do it for their attention or for the satisfaction of the perfect expression of something? Part of you thinks that the adventures are just an excuse to create the art, and part of you thinks they're both good enough reasons to adventure. 
25. The Tale Teller - Everyone knows a few good stories, but you know them all. You collect them--folk tales, urban legends, secondhand retellings of supernatural happenings--and you tell them again. This has earned you a reputation as someone who knows about the strange happenings of the world, both earning the ire of common people and the love of other strange folk. You may use these stories for deep lore into the world (with your DM's help, of course) or something sillier (imagine a conspiracy theorist who sees connections between everything in the gameworld). 

There you have it: 25 unique backstory ideas to get you started. Any of these should give you a pretty interesting time at the table. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: a guide to nature in my homebrew setting, how to use divination in your games, and how writing and tabletop games enrich each other. Until next time, happy gaming!

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List of Villain Ideas

Not every campaign has to have a villain, but most do. And those that do need a compelling villain--their actions are what drives the story, after all. Thanks to thousands of years of human storytelling, we've seen just about every villain that might exist, in fiction at least. Coming up with an interesting hook for your villain is a key part of planning for your campaign. So I've created a list of 15 Big Bad Evil Gals/Guys (BBEGs) that can add an interesting dimension to your game. 

The list below is partially composed of BBEGs I have run in the past, but is composed mostly of new ideas specially created for this list. I'm including enough basic information to be able to extrapolate a campaign with; if you want resources on how to do that, look no further. But if like me, you prefer to do it yourself, here are some ideas to get you started. 

1. The Anarchist Royal: This member of the royal family of a burgeoning kingdom (I opted for princess) has learned about anarchy and grown to resent their family's power over their subjects. They have designed a way to destroy the kingdom from within. Their end goal is to destroy all possibility of the kingdom continuing and make efforts if possible to incite the people to rise up. I had my version of this BBEG commit to her ideals so much that she intended to die with the rest of her family to break the royal lineage. You might have this BBEG look to the party for help and not explain what their motives are, revealing their true intentions as a twist later in the campaign. The party will have to deal with investigation of conspiracies, diplomatic interactions, stealthy maneuvers, and a range of political questions about the storyline. 
2. The Artifact Collector: This studious BBEG may not even be evil in your campaign; the idea is simply that a specific person has uncovered information that that suggests a powerful artifact is hidden in some way. They have become so obsessed with the artifact that they will sacrifice anything to get it. Their end goal is to collect the artifact and be the first to use its power. In my version of this BBEG, the collection of the artifact was preceded by finding a series of related artifacts with clues that led from one to the next. Your players might race to collect the artifact before the BBEG can, or they may oppose them in some other way. The powers of the artifact may be why the BBEG is seeking it, or its powers may be a mystery and all they know is that it is highly powerful. The BBEG should be cunning and try to sabotage the player characters. The party will have to deal with discovering lore, tracking the BBEG, solving riddles, completing dungeons, and dealing with powerful magical forces. 
3. The Angry God: This god or demigod's agenda has been disrupted by the player characters. They are furious about this and want to punish the player characters for their meddling in divine plans. This BBEG's range of abilities makes them both formidable and interesting as an enemy, and discovering ways to get the upper hand on them will be a big part of dealing with this BBEG. Their end goal is to make their plan happen, and to rage against anything that gets in their way. In my version of the BBEG, I had an iteration of Gruumsh demand that the player characters help him and torture them when they didn't immediately do so; although I didn't initially intend this god character to be the overarching BBEG of the campaign, he was so persistently evil that my players loved to hate him. This BBEG should be intimidating and show off the lore about gods in your world. The party will have to deal with learning about the gods, dabbling with magic, protecting themselves from the divine, looking for allyship with other powerful beings, and using charismatic skills to deal with the BBEG. 
4. The Necromancer Commander: This powerful necromancer has developed a spell which changes the stakes of violence in-game--they have cursed the player characters, and any living humanoid they kill will be instantly raised as an undead warrior. Now the players cannot freely kill anyone or face the necromancer's wrath. They have designs to cast this spell on other powerful people in the world in order to build an army. They may even be working on an amplifying spell that would make the effect target all people. Their end goal is to conquer as much of the world as possible using their undead army. I suggest making the undead warriors that rise from killed people significantly more powerful than the person who died: the undead should have roughly 1.5x the killed person's abilities, but you could go as high as 2x if you wanted a more difficult and tense game. The party will have to deal with tense combat, strategic decisions about tactics, learning how to counter the necromancer's spells, protecting NPCs, and gathering abilities to better combat the undead. 
5. The Veteran Who Hasn't Moved On: This ex-soldier once fought in a conflict that changed them. They lost the war, but that didn't mean the war ended for this BBEG. They're bent on going out and single-handedly winning it now. Inspired by my homebrew world's Magic War, this BBEG uses their skills as a soldier to wage guerilla warfare against those they perceive as enemies. Their agenda depends on what their war was fought over; in mine, the war was about whether magic should be free, regulated, or abolished (the free advocates won), and so in my world this BBEG would be an old abolishment soldier who's striking against prominent magic users in their community. Their end goal should be an escalating series of attacks that culminate in some important public figure, as part of their agenda is making a public statement. I suggest making this BBEG a stealthy one so that part of the story can be your players discovering their identity and tracking them. To that end, the party will deal with investigation, tracking, interviewing witnesses, learning about the conflict the BBEG served in, and tense surprise combat. 
6. The Beastmaster: This BBEG can come from a variety of backgrounds: Druid, Ranger, Wizard/Sorcerer/Warlock to being with, but anyone who has learned some magic will work. This BBEG has mastered the ability to control animals. They can turn mundane animals into frightening creatures and convince even familiars to join their cause. Their end goal is to command an army and give animals dominion over humanoids. This BBEG may be aggressive and attack settlements where animals are harness for work, or they may be quietly massing an army of creatures somewhere out in the wilderness. Fighting with the Beastmaster means also fighting an array of controlled animals. The party will have to deal with natural magic, an array of transforming enemies, the ethics of killing controlled animals, and fighting to keep their animal companions by their sides. 
7. The Knowledge Eraser: This BBEG may be deranged or simply bent on an extreme idea; in any case, they seek to destroy stores of knowledge all over the land. I suggest using a magic user for this BBEG, which would allow them to cast fire spells to destroy entire libraries. They strike first at local libraries, targeting unique texts, and work their way up to the greatest stores of knowledge in the world. Their end goal is to free humanity from its undue reverence for history by destroying any trace of it. They might also focus on magical texts as an effort to reduce the potential of spellcasters. The party may be enlisted by civic authorities to investigate the destructions of texts, or they may encounter the BBEG themselves while dealing with texts. The party will deal with the various lore of your world, discussions of the value of historical records, investigating an elusive person, speaking with experts about the lost information, and learning about the different cultures in your world. 
8. The Mad Scientist: This inventor character can be whatever interpretation of a mad scientist you prefer, but here's my version. This BBEG has spent their life tinkering with gadgets and gizmos and has had a revelation: their inventions could change the world. But their attempts to promote their inventions haven't worked, and now they intend to convince the world of their genius by force. Their end goal is to punish those who underestimated them, attain renown, and implement their inventions in society. The exact nature of this BBEG's inventions is up for grabs. I opt for someone who specializes in mechanical clockwork devices, who has a collection of intimidating homunculi to use in combat. These handy devices can hold the party off while the BBEG escapes for another encounter pretty easily. You can also justify pretty much any invention you like to push the story along by using fantasy logic. The party will deal with interesting combats, a variety of strange ideas, gauging the public awareness, questions about the validity of the BBEG's inventions, and lots of appearances from the BBEG's homunculi. 
9. The Corrupt Official: This character holds a position in government and appears to be an upstanding member of the law. But secretly, they are corrupt to the core. They siphon official funds, they pull strings to get favors, they control people through their rank--and it's damaging the settlement they govern. Discovering the source of the corruption could be the core of the campaign, but you could also choose an openly corrupt official who's hard to get to for your BBEG. You can choose a smaller town if the atmosphere of fewer people being more directly impacted works better for your story, or a larger city if you want to really focus on the mystery of the corruption. Their end goal might simply be to amass wealth and power, or they may have a more concentrated agenda like obtaining a higher post or running competitors out of town or business. This is a more storytelling/roleplaying campaign, but you could add some combat by having the BBEG hire mercenaries to fight the party. The party will deal with political intrigue, investigating the government, the experiences of the common people in town, questions about what to do to fix the government, and lots of opportunity to portray a truly slimy BBEG. 
10. The Reclaimer: This character began as a very normal person, but they suffered a great loss and prayed for help. They received a blessing from their god and became instantly powerful, and their god tasked them with reclaiming a lost temple. That temple now lies at the heart of a thriving city that now uses the temple to worship a different god. Their end goal is to destroy the heathens who profaned the temple and reestablish the worship of their god. This BBEG has a very different flavor depending on which god you choose for them: an evil god means fighting against hatred and injustice; a good god means that the repurposed temple in the city has been diminished (but if the party is evil, it would function as normal); a neutral god makes the whole question of reclaiming the temple much more of a debate. As with others on this list, this BBEG may begin as an ally or questgiver, only to reveal the truth of their mission only after the party has cooperated. The party will deal with questions of morality, navigation of both dangerous and highly populated areas, learning lore of the gods in your world, fighting a variety of divine creatures, and negotiation with the gods. 
11. The Ultimate Planner: This character can come from any background, but they are remarkable for their intelligence, foresight, and practicality. Whatever happens, they have already foreseen it and prepared accordingly--they are never taken off guard. In terms of actual presence in the game, the players should always be able to approach this BBEG, but will always be foiled by a last-minute action that required planning in advance. Your players storm in and cut off all the exits? This BBEG has installed a trapdoor that leads to a tunnel and their escape. You'll keep your BBEG one step ahead of the players until the finale, when they critically miscalculate and the players triumph. Their end goal can be flexible, but by way of example that honors the planning skills of the BBEG, let's say that they want to use their judgment to maximize everyone else's life, effectively dictating their actions and erasing free will, which the BBEG doesn't see as a problem because efficiency is more important. The party will deal with trying to get a step ahead, anticipating the BBEG's actions, questions about free will, lots of planning of their own, and plenty of surprises from the BBEG's plans. 
12. The Mistaken Medium: This character has made a living from their magical ability to discern things that cannot be seen. They often read fortunes and foretell their clients' challenges. They have seen a striking vision of a world that terrifies them: they believe an important public figure (perhaps the leader of a settlement) will cause the apocalypse with a future decision. They become bent on stopping this from happening, and at any cost. Their end goal is to prevent the world ending by assassinating this figure. The party might catch onto this BBEG's actions when the BBEG kills someone close to the leader in an effort to derail them; investigating the murder leads to the BBEG's trail. This BBEG might be able to predict the party's coming for them or may use their gifts to intimidate the party. They may also share their visions in order to convince the party they are helping. The party will deal with omens of the apocalypse, protecting a public figure, investigating the BBEG's trail, questions of fate, and whether the party believes the BBEG. 
13. The Urban Terrorist: This character lives in a big city and has been run down by city life. Think of the main characters from movies like Taxi Driver and Falling Down, people who have gone rotten and lash out violently. This BBEG is filled with hatred and they take it out on the signs of decay around them. Their actions may still be percolating by getting into bar fights intending to kill someone, and they may have moved onto more devious actions like poisoning the water supply or burning down buildings with people inside. Their end goal is murky even to themselves--they only know that they will feel even worse if they don't destroy something or someone. The biggest struggle in dealing with this BBEG is in finding them in the sprawling city and being able to tie them to their crimes. The party may be contacted by city officials looking for help or may chance upon the site of one one of the BBEG's attacks. The party will deal with doing dangerous work surrounded by bystanders, questions of morality, depictions of rough city life, tracking work, and grappling with meaningless violence.
14. The Specimen Collector: This depraved individual has ceased to consider themselves a part of humanity; in their minds, they are a god among humanoids. But their interest in the lower forms of life around them has driven them even madder. This BBEG is on a quest to catalog the differences between individual humanoids, and they do so by capturing people, experimenting on them, and preserving the body for a grand display of their work. Their end goal is to have incontrovertible evidence of their theories about anatomy and biology, and they crave the approval of a particular expert on genealogy. The party's time with this BBEG may begin when the first few people get abducted by the BBEG, or it may be when the expert on genealogy is contacted by the BBEG--their disgust at the BBEG's work inspires them to contact the party for help. The party will deal with disturbing scenes of experimentation, learning about the game's lore for the different races, questions of scientific ethics, anticipating the moves of a deranged person, and investigating disappearances and murders.
15. The Harbinger: This individual was raised in a highly religious household and came to fear their god. In my world, this would fit well with the Dalton Church of Pelor, a dark version of the sun god who requires sacrifices to rise each morning. This BBEG, after being raised in such a dark and disturbing worldview, has lost sight of reality. They believe that the animal sacrifices are no longer enough to satisfy the hungry sun, and they commit to sacrificing one humanoid each day. Their end goal is to preserve the earth by indefinitely sacrificing people. This makes this BBEG especially committed to their goal. Dealing with this BBEG means that the party will be investigating a string of disappearances or murders; you could also have the party see the BBEG kill someone and get away and have the party learn about the extent of the crimes as they investigate. This BBEG might have been killing people for only a day or two before someone catches on, but you might also decide he's been at it for a month before people in the busy city really notice. The party will deal with investigation of disappearances and murder, religious lore from your world, questions about belief, disturbing scenes of the sacrificial church, and the potential for involvement from the gods in your world. 

That's 15 different BBEG ideas. If an idea appeals to you, run with it. Feel free to change anything at all to better suit your world, your story, and your take on the BBEG. Remember that a compelling BBEG is one you can portray in an exciting way, so be sure to use ideas that you think you could perform well for your players. And of course if your players are interested in one of these ideas, it's hard to go wrong by giving them the villain they really want. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: a one-shot based on Alice in Wonderland, naming conventions in my homebrew setting, and the value of individual introduction sessions for a campaign. Until next time, happy gaming!

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Custom Magic Item List: Artifacts with Drawbacks

Magic items are one of the most sought-after things in all of TRPGs. They stand to dramatically alter the course of any game, and they can make players feel that they have greater control over their time in the gameworld. There are hundreds of custom magic items to borrow from TRPG writers, many of which affect the way that combat runs. But magic items can affect the world of roleplaying as well, and I have created a list of magic items that will affect more than the way that combat functions--they each include caveats that balance the power of the items. Read on for the full list of 33 magic items. 

When you introduce a magic item to the game, it should be dramatic. You want your players to know that they have encountered something special. When you describe the item to them, you want to provide both the mundane and magical descriptions of the item. Then, as the players use the item, you want to describe its effects in clear and abundant detail so that they get a sense of what it does and how powerful it is. Once the players have clear understanding of the item, you should continue to offer colorful description of it so that it doesn't just become another static detail in the game. 

So here are the magic items. Feel free to roll a d100 and divide it by 3 to use this list as a table of random magic items (roll again on a 100), or pick and choose the items that fit your campaign. Whatever you decide to do, keep in mind that these magic items will change the way you GM, as these items will grant the players abilities that exceed their statistically-balanced abilities granted by the game. 

1. Sword of Chain Lightning: This ornate longsword depicts leaping bolts of lightning up its menacing blade. This +1 longsword causes the player to roll a d100, and there is a 33% chance that the sword causes a bolt of lightning to leap between up to three enemies, dealing 3d8 damage to each one. Holds 2 charges per day. The wielder of the sword must succeed on a Constitution saving throw DC 15 when the lightning strikes or take half of the 3d8 damage done by the lightning. 
2. Turban of Mind: This burgundy turban has a golden charm which hangs from its center, depicting an infinity symbol. The turban, when worn, grants the wearer +2 to Intelligence and the ability to decipher one unknown written language per day. The wearer must roll an Intelligence saving throw once daily (in the morning) DC 12 or forget one day from their life permanently. 
3. Rod of Punishment: This steel rod has a large leather grip and a grid of interlocking lines that form squares all across its surface. When used to strike someone, the Rod of Punishment deals 1d6 damage for every evil deed the targeted character has committed in the last week. When this effect takes place, the wielder of the Rod of Punishment must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw DC 14 or take 1d6 damage for each evil deed they have committed in the last week. 
4. Lyre of Suggestion: This ornately carved lyre has a bough of holly branches laid out in its woodwork. When played with a Performance check DC 14, the lyre's song creates the effect of the spell "Suggestion," its magic effect targeted on a specific character. That character gets a Wisdom saving throw DC 14 to ignore the effect; otherwise, it must obey the player's command. 
5. Great Hound Token: This silver coin is engraved with the design of a huge hound and glimmers in the light. When used (once per day), the coin transforms into a great hound which can understand and obey the holder of the coin. The hound will serve in combat and has a bonus to tracking (+5 Survival). After one hour, or the hound's going unconscious, the hound will return to coin form. 
6. Magical Library: This item appears as a small, unassuming book with no writing on its cover--simply a blue circle on a green cover. When opened, the book displays the contents of any book the player has read. Can function as a spellbook as well. The book requires an Intelligence check (DC 13) to add any new information to the book, but all books read previous to obtaining the Magical Library will automatically be transferred. 
7. Amulet of Flight: This bronze amulet has a spherical ruby set into it, and it seems lighter than it should be. Using the amulet (twice per day) allows the user to move as though the spell "Fly" had been cast on them. The effect lasts one minute, and the character can extend the spell's effect with an Arcana check DC 10 for each round they wish to extend the spell. If the player runs out of the effect mid-flight, they must take 1d6 damage per 10 feet they fall. 
8. Flagon of Variety: Each morning, the flagon is filled with a random liquid. Each liquid has a different boost and lasts half the day. Roll a d100: 1-15 Coffee (+2 Perception), 16-30 Mead (+2 Persuasion), 31-45 Clean Water (+2 Survival), 46-60 Apple Juice (+2 Medicine), 61-75 Dwarven Stout (+2 Constitution saving throws), 76-90 Mixed Animal Blood (+2 Intimidation), 91-100 Elixir of Life (+1 to all skills). The player may choose not to drink the contents of the Flagon of Variety, and if so, the liquid will be magically replaced at morning of the next day. The full contents of the Flagon must be consumed before the bonus applies.
9. Spyglass of True Sight: This brass spyglass has an open eye etched into its side. When used, it both magnifies distant objects and acts as though "Detect Magic" has been cast on the user, but over distance. An Arcana check DC 16 identifies the school of magic of the active magic the Spyglass can see. The user must succeed on a Perception check DC 13 in order to use the magical effects of the Spyglass of True Sight, or else the Spyglass shows only out-of-focus shapes. 
10. Expert's Bracer: This leather bracer has thin steel plates set into the leather and an open hand etched into the central steel plate. When worn, this bracer grants the wearer proficiency bonus in one additional skill of their choosing, and this choice can change every day (the wearer selects the skill at night before going to bed). When using this skill, a roll of a natural 1 negates the effect for the rest of the day. 
11. Boots of Reaction: These leather boots rise to nearly the knee and have straps fastening the boots together at the calf. When wearing these boots, the user becomes quicker to participate in battles. The user is granted a +2 to Initiative if they can succeed on an Athletics of Acrobatics check DC 12. If the user fails this check, they take a -2 to Initiative instead. 
12. Master's Map: This item appears at first as a blank sheet of paper. If picked up, the sheet of paper will magically depict the zone around the player who picked it up as a top-down map. As the holder of the paper moves, the drawing will resize and fill in details, creating an accurate map of the area that shows only details the player can see. Until another character holds the map, it will continue to provide a depiction of everywhere the character has been with the map. Grants a +2 to Nature and Survival checks when navigating and a +4 to Nature and Survival checks when investigating an area already mapped. 
13. Top Hat of Charisma: This fancy hat is tall and narrow, all black with a burgundy ribbon, and smells faintly of potpourri. When worn, this hat grants the wearer a +1 to all Charisma-based skills. When the player encounters NPCs, the NPC should be granted an Insight check DC 14; if they succeed, they proceed with the +1 bonus, but if they fail, the player is granted a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skills for the duration of that conversation. 
14. Brutal Handwraps: These linen strips are heavily creased and stained with dirt and blood. When worn, the Brutal Handwraps increase the player's unarmed bonus by one die (for instance, the traditional 1+Strength modifier becomes 1d4+Strength; 1d4+Strength becomes 1d6+Strength, 1d6+Strength becomes 1d8+Strength, etc.). Should the Brutal Handwraps be used to kill an enemy rather than knocking them out, the bonus disappears until dawn the following day. 
15. Passive Spectacles: These wire-frame glasses appear to be simple bifocals, but the glasses themselves are noticeably unsmudged. When worn, these Spectacles raise the wearer's passive Perception by +4. However, they also lower the character's active Perception checks by -1. The wearer finds that they are more aware of things but have a hard time focusing. 
16. Dice of Uncertain Fate: This set of dice is carved from stone, and all the ones on the dice are indicated by a symbol of Boccob, god of magic. When rolled, the dice allow a character to see the result of a die roll before committing to a course of action (once per day). Essentially, the player rolls an action before doing it; they may choose to pick a different tactic if the roll is low or accept the result if it is high. The player must succeed on an Arcana check DC 14 to accurately read the dice; a failed check means that they cannot trust the outcome of the dice well enough to use it to decide on an action. 
17. Hair Shirt of Erethor: This ugly tunic is woven out of the hair of domesticated animals like horses and yaks, and it seems big enough to fit even the burliest adventurer (though it resizes magically for smaller characters). When worn, the Hair Shirt of Erethor allows the user to maximize their effect with limited effort; the wearer may cast one spell at +2 Caster Level twice per day. The caster must succeed on an Arcana check DC 13 to cast the spell at its improved level; a failure means the spell slot if expended with no effect. 
18. Stone Toad of Woe: This small stone carving of a toad is marked by a small golden fly which seems to have landed atop the toad's head. When the toad is invoked by a magic incantation, it transforms into a living toad which hops toward the nearest wounded humanoid and transforms back into a sculpture; it uses the magical energy required to transform to stabilize the humanoid. Can be used in battle to help an ally or find a wounded foe. 
19. Pebble of Reckoning: This small, smooth, perfectly spherical stone is a mixture of grey rock and spirals of obsidian. When thrown, this pebble transforms into a small bomb which deals 3d12 damage to anyone within 15 feet of the explosion. The holder of the Pebble of Reckoning must succeed on a ranged attack DC 13 followed by a Wisdom saving throw DC 13 to explode the pebble. If either rolls fails, the pebble does not explode. It can be found again only after battle has ended and the player can search for such a small object.
20. Quill of Secrets: This long raven's feather is stained at the end with black ink. When someone uses the Quill of Secrets to write, they can inscribe an obvious message but obscure a hidden meaning by using a Sleight of Hand check DC 14. If the roll succeeds, the hidden message becomes noticeable only via an Intelligence check DC 18. If the check fails, the obvious message remains, but no hidden message appears. 
21. Borgen's Razor: This straight razor has a smooth wooden handle and a keen steel blade. If the player with Borgen's Razor uses it as a tool, it grants a +2 bonus to success on the action, but there is a 10% chance that the razor will completely destroy what is being cut. If the player uses Borgen's Razor as a weapon, it deals 1d10 damage and allows the player to make an Intimidation check at +3; if the enemy fails this Intimidation check, it surrenders immediately. In either case (tool or weapon), the player must then roll a Wisdom saving throw DC 12 or lose a turn, forced to attack the nearest living thing by Borgen's twisted spirit. 
22. Racing Pocketwatch: This copper-plated pocketwatch has a long copper chain and revealed gears and cogs inside it. When a player presses the button on the top of the pocketwatch, time slows down. The player rolls a d4 and adds +1; the result is how many rounds they can take at once. In order to use this power, the player must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw DC 12 for each round they take. If a roll before the end fails, the rest of the rounds are forfeit. This power can be used twice per day. After the player has taken their actions, they are unable to act until the rest of the involved characters catch up. This can make them vulnerable to enemy retaliation. 
23. Everburning Lantern: This burnished steel lantern is hooded to create a more focused lit area, and it has a circular arrow etched into its hood. The light from this lantern is magical and can illuminate scenes as brightly as daylight. If used during the day, the lantern instead twists and turns in the player's hand, leading them to the nearest place where non-sunlight exists (caves, buildings, forests, all pulling more strongly the darker the place is). The lantern never requires fuel and never grows too hot to hold. 
24. Cantrip Wand: This wand is thick and gnarled, with a design carved into the side like the scales of a reptile. The wand can be used up to 5 times per day, and it can cast any cantrip from any class or school of magic. The player using it may select a specific spell from the available lists or choose to have the wand select a spell; if the wand chooses, you as GM should select a spell that is both helpful and unexpected. The player must succeed on an Arcana check DC 10 in order to get the selected spell to cast; a failed save uses the slot, but no spell effects occur. 
25. Speaking Scarf: This thin strip of woolen fabric is a collection of colors which seem different every time they are inspected. When worn, this scarf allows the wearer to perfectly replicate the voice of any living thing they have heard, humanoid or animal. The wearer rolls a Deception check DC 14, and on a success, they are able to replicate the chosen voice; on a failed check, they accidentally replicate the voice of someone else. If the person they are speaking to cannot see them, the wearer's voice is undetectably different from the chosen voice. 
26. Divine Chess Set: This wood-and-bone chess set depicts the gods and demigods as pieces, forces of evil versus forces of good. When a player sets out to use the chess set, they declare the name of a god they wish to challenge. The player rolls an Intelligence check DC 17; a success means they beat the god, and a failure means that they lose. If the player wins, they may ask the god for one favor that the god must assist in, though they will only help the player advance one step in the story. If the player loses, the god penalizes them with a -2 to all skill checks for 24 hours. A game takes one hour to play, and the board can only be used once every three days.
27. The Skull of Grax: This orc's skull is oversized, menacing, and carved with either a sunset or a sunrise. The skull does nothing until either sunrise or sunset (one or the other at random each day), at which point it begins to speak and poses to the players a riddle. (Check out this guide to writing riddles for help with that.) If the party can solve the skull's riddle, it grants a +1 to the skill of each player's choice until the skull's next riddle. If the party fails to answer the riddle, they each must take a -1 penalty to all saving throws until the next riddle. 
28. The Dragon Crown of Ishbeton: This jawbone of a dragon is fashioned into an imposing crown with rubies and garnets set into it. When worn, the crown makes the wearer more charismatic but also subjects the wearer to the greed of enemies. When worn, the Dragon Crown of Ishbeton grants the wearer a +2 to Charisma and grants the wearer use of "Charm Person" twice per day. However, all NPCs who encounter the Crown must roll a d100: 90-100 means that the NPC will become enraptured with the Crown and try at all costs to take it from the party. 
29. Faerie Home: This gnarled ball of tree branches creates a wooden orb approximately 4 inches around, and a faint glowing light emanates from the center. If a player has the Faerie Home, they can use it once per day to invite the help of Fae. If the player is able to succeed on a Persuasion check DC 16, then magical Fae effects help the party. This may be in the form of help in combat, helping the party to their next story moment, or convince an NPC of something. If the player fails on their invocation of the faeries, they hear tittering laughter and are instead cursed with a -2 to Nature checks until the following day. 
30. Showman's Mask: This plain light grey mask has no discernible features and looks eerily unlike any humanoid you have ever seen. When worn, the Showman's Mask transforms into the faces of anyone the wearer wishes, including faces which they are inventing for the use. The Mask requires a Performance check DC 15 to use; if it succeeds, the mask perfectly mimics the chosen faces for up to two hours, but if it fails, the mask causes the player to take a penalty of -2 to all Performance and Deception checks for two hours. 
31. Traveler's Sleeping Roll: This bundle of cloth and padding is in fine condition and very soft; its fabric is a velvety orange. A player with the Sleeping Roll can use it to create a small camp with bedding for up to five people; when deployed with an Arcana check DC 11, it divides into the requested number of fine sleeping rolls and remains that way until dispelled or one hour after sunrise. A failed check sends up a flare into the air, which attracts bandits and monsters alike, likely forcing the party to relocate before calling it a night. 
32. Scales of Appraising: This iron balance has mechanical devices attached at the crux of the machine to calibrate its workings; it is slightly oversized, and swings freely when nothing is placed on it. When a player uses the Scales of Appraising, they are able to place two of anything that will fit or be balanced onto each side, and the side which is worth more will appear heavier regardless of the physical properties of the weighed items. To use this, the player must succeed on an Insight check DC 10. On a success, the scales will emit light and show which side is worth more; on a failure, there will be no light effects, and the scales will show that they are equal in value. (Note: if the two items weighed are actually equal in value, the scale will swing back and forth rather than staying still.) 
33. Scouting Mirror: This small, circular mirror is made of steel and never seems to accumulate any smudging on the surface; on its back is a symbol of two identical figures. When used as an ordinary mirror, the item will function normally. But when used to peer around corners, the mirror gains a magical ability: it surrounds the outline of living things in a faint glowing light on the mirror's surface, including those who are obscured from direct view. This effect requires a success on an Investigation check DC 13; a success shows everything viewed through the mirror for the next hour, but a failure means that the mirror goes see-through for an hour and can't be used again until then. 

So there you have it: 33 magic items that do not appear on other lists, each of which turns having a magic item into a tactical decision rather than an unmitigated increase to the players' power. The goal here is to be able to reward your players with magic items that complicate and enrich the way they play, and by balancing each item with caveats, we can give many of these items to players even at lower levels. So use these items or some of your own design with these kinds of balanced powers, and you'll be able to use more magic items without worrying about players becoming too overpowered. And of course feel free to adjust the numbers involved in these items; I've gauged them for levels 4-10 or so, but some tweaks could scale them up or down. And of course you can get rid of the balancing effects and just grant your players exciting new powers.

That's all for now. Coming soon: how to balance your gameworld's economy, how to manage a boss fight, and how to design a custom TRPG from scratch. Until next time, happy gaming!

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Traveling Random Events: A Table for Travelers

Traveling is often a big part of TRPGs; the players are in one place and the adventure is in another, so it's time to set off on the road and get to the next bit of story. But simply walking or riding from point A to point B is not the stuff of exciting games. It should take more than time to get somewhere--it should also take effort. I have developed a table of random events for traveling that spices up the process of moving around, so read on to add some excitement to your travels. 

To implement this table, roll a d100 every time your players move five miles. The corresponding event will mix up the monotony of travel, and it may allow you to further develop your story and your world. 

1-5: Inspiration - One party member has a helpful idea about how to deal with the situation they're currently facing. You can use this to get a wayward group back on track or develop your story. 

6-10: The party recognizes the glint of metal in the plant life on the side of the road. Closer inspection reveals it to be a cache of coins. Roll for the amount they discover - 1d4 platinum, 1d6 gold, 1d8 silver, and 1d10 copper. 

11-15: Nothing happens.

16-20: A traveling caravan passes by in the opposite direction. The caravan guards are wary of the party and are tense enough that they will attack the party given provocation. If the party passes without engaging in combat, a trader lags behind to offer the party food and drinks for the rest of their journey. 

21-25: The road is blocked by a fallen tree. When the party moves to remove it, an ambush of goblins erupts from nearby cover. 

26-28: The beaten road wears away and the party must succeed on a DC 15 Survival check to find the road again 100 feet later. 

29-31: Mistaken Identity - A lone traveler comes down the road in the opposite direction. They mistake a party member for an old friend/business associate. It takes a few minutes' assurance that the party member is a different person, and even then the traveler suspects they are being lied to. 

32-34: Bandits! As the party comes to a bend in the road, they can notice hidden bandits with DC 15 Perception checks. If noticed, the bandits will pursue the party for up to a mile. If unnoticed, the bandits launch an attack on the players, focusing on ranged attackers and spellcasters. 

35-37: The plants surrounding the road grow taller and more unmanageable for about a mile. When the party gets within 5 feet of the plants, the tendrils of the plants lash out and bind the party. Treat the bound players as affected by the spell "Entangle" and allow them to escape with a DC 16 Strength saving throw. 

38-40: A colorful bird flies down and lands on a branch near the road. It speaks in a creaky voice, repeating the phrase, "All's well that ends well." If the players move toward the bird, it flies 50 feet to another branch, and so on and so forth until it has led the party half a mile into the depth of the area (deep woods, sand dunes, a marsh). There, it transforms into a witch and attacks the party.

41-45: Shrine of Fharlanghn - A small, simple shrine to the god of travel lies along the west edge of the road. There is a pedestal with an empty bowl on the shrine. If any of the players pray at the shrine, the whole party feels rested (including regaining spell slots) and the bowl is magically filled with a hearty meal. 

46-50: Nothing happens. 

51-55: An altar lies on the side of the road, all details worn away. There are faint letters in a dwarven alphabet, which if read will create a chaos effect. Roll another d100 for the chaos table. 

56-60: A troupe of travelling musicians and performers have parked their caravan on the side of the road. They are having a leisurely meal and invite the party to join them. After small talk, the troupe mentions that the last town they tried to perform in, which is only a few miles down the road, refused to let them perform or spend the night in town. To make up for it, the troupe performs a short show for just the party. 

61-63: Alongside the road appears a lake. The lake is murky and green, and twisted trees grow around its perimeter. A DC 18 Perception check will reveal a sword rising slowly from the lake, point first. It remains floating, pointed up, until the players move on or swim out for the sword. If they take it, it acts as a +1 Longsword with one daily use of the spell "Chain Lightning." After being used in one encounter, the sword disappears. 

64-66: A pillar of smoke rises from the horizon down the road. The smell of burning hair permeates the woods. When the party draws near, they can see a wildfire burning off the road which has trapped several woodland creatures. If the players save any of the creatures, Ehlonna (goddess of the woodlands) thanks the party for their help and blesses them with +20 feet traveling speed until the end of the day. 

67-69: The party finds in the middle of the road a tattered old book. Inside the book are notes in a wild scrawl which are just barely legible, and they describe the investigation of the beginning pages of the book, which are torn out. Any player who reads all of the scrawled writing must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be driven insane (DM controls the character) for the next ten minutes. 

70-72: A strange stone formation rests on the side of the road, leaning precariously but remaining standing. A young halfling named Jaskin lies on the ground beneath the stone, and they explain that only the pure of heart can survive under the stone, for those with evil in their hearts are crushed by the stone. As Jaskin explains, a raven lands on the stone, and it begins to fall. Players can pull Jaskin to safety with a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Jaskin is disappointed and takes it as a sign that he is not pure of heart. 

73-75: The party sights an abandoned building in a clearing off the road. Investigating it reveals that it has been uninhabited for some time. A careful player can find a wand of Mage Armor hidden in a box in an old desk. 

76-80: A lone dog wanders down the road, sniffing idly as it approaches the party. It takes note of the players and begins to bark and run back in the direction it came. If the party follows the dog, it will take them to a thicket in the woods, where its owner (an orcish trapped named Barut) is trapped in a bear trap. If the party frees Barut, she will feed the party and promise them safe lodging for the night. 

81-85: A crackling sound erupts from a thicket to the side of the road. Suddenly, in the middle of the path is a displacer beast, its tentacles flicking through the air. If the party runs, the beast will pursue them for half a mile and then relent. If the party defeats the displacer beast, they notice a nearby nest with a litter of infant displacer beasts. 

86-90: Nothing happens.

91-93: Ruts in the road veer off the path and into the brush. By following the ruts, the party can track a wagon for nearly a quarter of a mile into the beginnings of a swamp. Inside the wagon are supplies, a rusty battleaxe, and a frightened half-elf child named Gera. Gera says that the swamp ate her family's horses and maybe her parents as well. She asks for safe passage to the next town, where she has extended family who can care for her. 

94-96: A DC 17 Perception check reveals that a piece of paper is stuck to a treebranch. Inspecting the paper, the party learns it is a map which indicates a shortcut to the party's destination, saving them as much as five miles from their journey. 

97-99: A traveling fortune teller comes down the road and stops a few feet short of the party. She bows her head, draws a card from her robes, and cackles. "The morning crow!" she cries. "A good morrow to you, then." She departs, refusing to speak another word. The following morning, each of the players awakens to discover a gold piece resting inside each of their shoes. 

100: Divine Intervention - One of the players' gods appears and offers help to the party with one major action. This is best implemented in the form of a piece of useful information or instantaneous travel to the party's destination. 

My Expanded Familiar List: Familiars for Everyone

In Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, and going back several editions, certain classes get animal familiars to supplement their powers. In previous editions, arcane spellcasters get familiars, paladins get mounts, and druids get companions. Characters who get familiars often regard their pets as incredibly important, going to great lengths to protect them from harm. I have seen characters without familiars get envious of the animal friends of other characters, and I see no reason for this envy to exist. Every character can have a familiar if they're adequately balanced. So let's look at some animals to assist every class, but first, my initial foray into providing every player with a familiar. 

Years ago, when I was running Listen Check, we had an interesting party composition. Rupert was a wizard, Soren was a ranger, and Dewey was a monk. The rules dictated that Rupert got a familiar--he had a sturdy earth elemental named Dybar. Soren, as a ranger, got access to a hawk named Augustus. Dewey had no familiar as a monk. But in the course of the story, things got complicated. Rupert tamed a ghost cat and named his Taxing Cattington, a reference to me mispronouncing "Tax Accountant" in the days prior to the episode the cat appeared. Then, Soren's dealings with a mysterious divine entity led to Augustus' increasing in power--suddenly, he could fly at unheard-of speeds and see through solid objects. Dewey still had no familiar, but Rupert had two and Augustus was at least as powerful as two standard familiars. So I had the same divine entity who increased Augustus' powers give Dewey a strange egg. The egg cracked, and inside was an amorphous being who soon proved he could shapeshift. Dewey named him Abbackes, and soon the shapeshifter was creating waves in the story of his own. The note from the divine entity, later revealed to be an incarnation of Fharlanghn, explained that Dewey too had a claim to a familiar, something I believe as a GM. It didn't break the game; rather, it increased the players' fun as they interacted with their powerful familiars. 

So how can we give every class a familiar without breaking the game? By adjusting the abilities of the familiars to suit their class. Basically, we take standard familiars and make them the domain of classes which are not given familiars. Then, we take the classes that normally get familiars and boost them a bit. Now, the classes that get familiars still have a boost over the other classes, but everyone gets the fun (and emotional outlet) of having a familiar. I've also taken the liberty of choosing familiars that suit each class, so barbarians have a different selection from bards, who are both very different for monks, and so forth. Further, I have changed the ability bonuses of each familiar so that the choice of familiar characterizes the character as well. Read on for the list for each class.

Barbarian

• Hedgehog: Grants +1 AC in melee. 
• Badger: Deals 2 damage when the player character takes melee damage.
• Viper: +4 to Constitution Saving Throws against Poison.
• Hawk: +2 Perception during the day.
• Vulture: Can unleash a vomit attack once per day which deals 1d6 poison damage for 6 rounds. 

Bard

• Owl: +2 Perception during the night.
• Raven: Grants +1 language spoken to character.
• Cat: +2 Stealth.
• Rat: +4 to Constitution Saving Throws against Disease.
• Dove: Gains the ability to cast "Calm Emotions" once per day. 

Cleric

• Moose: +2 Nature, can act as mount.
• Dog: +4 Survival checks when tracking.
• Owl: +2 Perception during the night.
• Badger: Deals 2 damage when the player character takes melee damage.
• Hedgehog: Grants +1 AC in melee. 

Druid

• Wolf: +1 to attack in melee.
• Eagle: +4 Survival checks when hunting.
• Horse: Doubles character's moving speed, can act as mount.
• Bear: +4 to Intimidation.
• Deer/Elk: +2 to Stealth, +10 feet per turn to character speed. 

Fighter

• Tortoise: Can choose to take half of all damage done by one strike once per day. 
• Vulture: Can unleash a vomit attack once per day which deals 1d6 poison damage for 6 rounds. 
• Hedgehog: Grants +1 AC in melee. 
• Dog: +4 Survival checks when tracking.
• Badger: Deals 2 damage when the player character takes melee damage.

Monk

• Mouse: Gains the ability to be completely silent for one minute once per day. 
• Dove: Gains the ability to cast "Calm Emotions" once per day. 
• Owl: +2 Perception during the night.
• Cat: +2 Stealth.
• Viper: +4 to Constitution Saving Throws against Poison.

Paladin

• Celestial Eagle: 1.5x damage versus evil creatures, can act as mount.
• Lion/Tiger: +2 Stealth, can act as mount.
• Moose: +2 Nature, can act as mount.
• Horse: Doubles character's moving speed, can act as mount.
• Dire Wolf: +1 to attack in melee, can act as mount. 

Ranger

• Trained Wolf: +1 to attack in melee, +2 to Survival.
• Deer/Elk: +2 to Stealth, +10 feet per turn to character speed. 
• Weasel: +2 to Intimidation, +2 to Stealth.
• Eagle: +4 Survival checks when hunting.
• Trained Hawk: Can disarm opponents in combat with a DC 14 melee touch attack, +2 Perception during the day.

Rogue

• Cat: +2 Stealth.
• Owl: +2 Perception during the night.
• Viper: +4 to Constitution Saving Throws against Poison.
• Mouse: Gains the ability to be completely silent for one minute once per day. 
• Rat: +4 to Constitution Saving Throws against Disease.

Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard

• Any of the above listed familiars, with the familiar granted an additional 10 hit points.
• Bat: +2 Acrobatics, grants darkvision.
• Chameleon: Grants the ability to cast "Disguise Self" once per day at will. 
• Monkey: +1 Intelligence, +2 Sleight of Hand. 
• Bumblebee: +1 Dexterity, +2 Medicine
• Parrot: +1 Charisma, +2 Acrobatics.
• Rabbit: +2 Initiative, +1 Stealth.
• Pig: +1 Wisdom, only needs to rest for four hours a day rather than eight. 
• Toad: +5 hit points, +2 Constitution Saving Throws. 
• Spider: +2 Athletics, +4 to Constitution Saving Throws against Poison
• Elemental (Fire, Ice, Water, Earth, Air, etc): +2 Arcana, Character only takes half damage from the elemental's type.

As you can see, the classes that have historically gotten familiars have stronger familiars: druids, paladins, rangers, and arcane spellcasters each have slightly larger boosts than the more martial classes. Meanwhile, the martial classes get access to familiars with combat boosts. That leaves the more skills-based classes like rogue, monk, and bard to access skill-based bonuses, while the historically familiar-bestowed classes each get bigger benefits than everyone else. The monkey familiar for arcane spellcasters is more impressive than the cat for stealthier classes; likewise, the differences between wolf (Druid) and Trained Wolf (Ranger) and Dire Wolf (Paladin) tweaks the abilities of the wolf to make them suit the class more effectively. If you run into problems with these familiars, remember that you can tweak their abilities as you go; there's no reason you can't adjust to the challenges familiars sometimes present. Just keep your players' animal companions present in the game (unlike so many games where the players forget they have familiars at all), and feel free to offer puzzles and challenges that rely on the empowered familiars. It will allow your players to use their prized familiars more often and in creative new ways. 

That's all for now. Good luck spicing up your game with these expanded familiar rules. Coming soon: random events for traveling characters, how to deal with a party split, and how to incorporate music into your campaign. Until next time, happy gaming!

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The Wheel of Voices

It is a time-honored tradition in TRPGs to do character voices. Not every player or even every game includes them, but a classic trope of roleplaying games is the GM who has a different voice for every NPC. It's not necessary for the game, but it does help people get into the story and the roleplaying. But coming up with the voices is a creative process that can take time you don't have in the middle of a game. Might I recommend the following table of accents for your game? Simply roll a d100 and you have a specific voice quirk to embody with any NPC. 

Before I go further, let me preemptively respond to something that many GMs out there are likely to be thinking. "But I can't do good voices! My accents are terrible!" Not to worry, I promise. A bad accent is still more interesting than your normal talking voice. If you're worried about preserving a serious spirit that won't be broken up by a silly voice, use only the ones you're confident in for more serious characters and let that random barkeep have a silly voice. Trust me, your players will appreciate you making the effort to spice up the game--so go ahead and dive into the voices, and watch your players crack up in your gameworld. 

A note before delving into the table itself: I think that whether you are running a world with silly shenanigans or one with dead-serious reality, accents are important. Think about it from a world-building perspective. You have created a big old world with cities and people and cultures and all manner of details. Doesn't it make sense that there are different accents? Shouldn't a dwarf who was born and raised in the dwarven capital sound different when talking from a half-elf who grew up in a gnomish city but spent most of their life in the orcish capital? You can use accents to distinguish your NPCs with relatively little effort, and it will make your gameworld seem a much richer place. To do this, develop an accent for each race or major city (or both). You don't need to create an accent; simply selecting a regional accent you're pretty confident in (or not, depending on your style) will be good enough to represent your world. 

So now the actual table! I have selected various speech quirks, including regional accents, voice descriptors, speech quirks, and a few celebrity impressions. I recommend swapping these impressions out with ones you're comfortable with. The goal, though, is to be distinctive. And of course you can always just pick a descriptor or fudge your roll if it comes up in a way that complicates your plans. But for an average NPC, any voice will do. So grab a d100 and see what your NPC sounds like. 

1-3. Underhar (dwarven capital) accent: Scottish

4-6. Mishara (elven capital) accent: French

7-9. Curagon (halfling capital) accent: English

10-12. Vestry (gnomish capital) accent: Irish

13-15. New Dalton (one human bloodline's capital): New Yorker

16-18. Grob (orcish capital) accent: Eastern European

19-21. Faninite (other human bloodline) accent: American Midwest

22-24. Torga (dwarven, orcish, and human city) accent: Bostonian

25-27. Talon Gorge (human, gnomish, and elven city) accent: Austrailian

28-30. Ringsdale (human, orcish, and gnomish city) accent: German

31-33. Finiel (elven and halfling city) accent: Russian

34-36. Faking an accent (roll a d12 and select from the above 11 accents to fake; a 12 means roll again)

37. Nasal

38. Breathy

39. About to cry

40. Croaking

41. Monotone

42. Gravelly

43. Guttural

44. High-pitched

45. Low-pitched

46. Hoarse

47. Husky

48. Quiet

49. Shrill

50. Singsong

51. Soft

52. Tense

53. Unsteady

54. Childish

55. Falsetto

56. Very deep

57. Airy

58. Barking

59. Drawling

60. Squeaky

61. Joyful

62. Booming

63. Old West accent

64. Nicolas Cage (or your preferred impression)

65. Gilbert Gottfried (or your preferred impression)

66. Sean Connery (or your preferred impression)

67. George Bush (or your preferred impression)

68. John Oliver (or your preferred impression)

69. Mark Wahlberg (or your preferred impression)

70. Jeff Goldblum (or your preferred impression)

71. Owen Wilson (or your preferred impression)

72. Tracy Jordan (from 30 Rock) (or your preferred impression)

73. Harry Caray (or your preferred impression)

74. Jon Lovitz (or your preferred impression)

75. Speaks in the 3rd person

76. Misuses words

77. Constantly interrupts

78. Compulsive liar

79. Corrects slang

80. Speaks from the corner of their mouth

81. Uses big words

82. Uses pet names

83. Constantly uses adages

84. Easily distracted

85. Takes everything literally

86. Argues semantics

87. Constantly uses metaphors

88. Incredibly obscene

89. Stutters

90. Slurs speech

91. Voice cracks

92. Vague descriptions

93. Rhymes names with nonsense words

94. Overuses the word "weasel"

95. Has no sense of volume control

96. Refers constantly to events in history

97. Laughs while speaking often

98. Confrontational

99. Answers questions with questions

100. Matter-of-fact

That's the table; I hope you can use it to spice up your game. Again, feel free to fudge rolls and substitute voices. And since there are four different types of voices here (voice descriptions, speech descriptions, accents, and impressions), you don't really need to be able to do almost 100 unique voices--you're really just taking a detail or two into consideration when you inhabit an NPC. Good luck with the voices!

Coming soon: how to keep your game balanced, how to help players find their fun, and what works (and what doesn't) when you're trying to tell a grand story. Until next time, happy gaming!

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