How old? Let’s see, that was ‘79 so I was 24. And in grad school. 

Lookit you, a decade older than I and still goin strong!

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Quote from PJtheARCH3R >>

QOTD: What happened to the Question Of The Day?

 

I have no idea. It just sorta requires a question, maybe?

wait, wait, I've got one!

How old were you when you first played D&D?

I was 14 (and a half). I am envious of folks these days who could start earlier.

 I played a confused session or two at 13 or 14 but I really started at 15 I think. 

So, I finally sat down and pulled the most current list of inspirations and influences on Wyrlde into something resembling a decent whole. I thought I would bore all of you with it.

Wyrlde's genesis is basically what would a “Generic Pseudo-Medieval Fantasy Setting” for D&D look like if I didn't use the and purposefully avoided the original inspirations and influences that came to define the game (which, in practice, cut out material published between 1920 and 1980, with additions from later versions of D&D).

Core Resources:

Fairy Tales, Folklore pre-1920, Adventure fiction pre-1920, SF Pre-1920, Fantasy pre-1920, basically about a decade of collecting stories and folklore from multiple cultures, Visual Dictionaries, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, NYPL Desk reference, Spence's Encyclopedia of the Occult, a Lot of World History from 10,000 BCE to 500 BCE, and folklore and concepts from five regions: Pre-Columbian North America and South America, Four major African Cultures (Hausa, Igbo, Khoisan, etc), Southeast Asia.

Novels:

The Gunslinger Series by Stephen King, The Gunnie Rose Series by Charlaine Harris, October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire, Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews, Unlit by Keri Arthur, Imajica & Weaveworld by Clive Barker, Kingmaker Chronicles by Amanda Bouchet, Gifting Fire & Stealing Thunder by Alina Boyden, Warrior Chronicles by K. F. Breene, The Unbroken by C. L. Clark, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Court of Fives by Kate Elliot, Crossroads Series by Kate Elliot, The Novels of the Jaran by Kate Elliot, Crown of Shards by Jennifer Estep, Golden Witchbreed by Mary Gentle, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, Valor & Peacekeeper series by Tanya Huff, Junkyard series by Faith Hunter, Broken Earth & The Inheritance Trilogy by N. K. Jemison, Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, Rosie O’Grady’s Bar and Grill series by B. R. Kingsolver, Nevernight Chronicles by Jay Kristoff, Hunter Series by Mercedes Lackey, Elemental & Desert Cursed & Questing Witch Series by Shannon Mayer, Chronicles of Pern: First Fall & Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey, Vatta’s War & Vatta’s Peace & The Serrano Legacy & The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon, Dream Park Series by Niven & Barnes, Heorot series by Pournelle, Niven, and Barnes, Song of the Lioness & Protector of the Small by Tamara Pierce, The Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara, Harmony Black & Midnight Scoop & Wisdom’s Grave & A Time for Witches by Craig Schaefer (Heather Schaefer), Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells,

Animated

Avatar & The Legend of Korra, Akame Ga Kill, Ascendance of a Bookworm, Ancient Magus’ Bride, Blade & Soul, BOFURI, Fena: Pirate Princess, GATE, Goblin Slayer, Granblue Fantasy, Grimgar, Assassin’s Pride, Izetta: The last Witch, Log Horizon, Rising of the Shield Hero, Frieren, Sword Art Online, Yoda of the Dawn, A Certain Scientific Railgun, Lycoris Recoil, Kino’s Journey, Violet Evergarden, The Apothecary Diaries,

Films

Cast A Deadly Spell, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, Leg3nd, LILO & Stitch, Tangled, (Future multiple Disney films), The Sword & The Sorcerer, James Bond Series, Jason Bourne Series, Ocean’s Series, Mission Impossible Series, Die Hard, The Magnificent Seven,

TV Shows

Lost Girl, Doctor Who, Eureka, Dominion, Falling Skies, Killjoys, Orphan Black,

Video games

Horizon Zero Dawn, Destiny

Art

Michael Whelan, Olivia, Boris, Disney & Pixar

Other

All of that, along with 35 years of Sociology, psychology, religious studies, personal experience, and nine different requests from my friends for what they would like to see in a world that has the core premise this world has (meaning there is more influence and inspiration than above, but it wasn’t mine). Also, a ton of pop culture references, and callbacks to old, old games (with 45 years to choose from, it is a lot).

QOTD: 

How do you come up with your short adventures in a hurry?

In other news and things, I have been having a bit of an unexpected challenge with one of my groups.

So, the initial plan for the campaign was they would solve a problem happening in a nearby town called Derier, where a demon named Pencewit is causing horrible things to happen. of the four groups, three did that and moved on. Derier ("the ass end of the world") is located in the heart of the Sand Sea. Months ago (real world) they started out the campaign following the wreckage of the Sandskiff they were in traveling to that town. Basic opening.

Well, this group has yet to visit a town. They are having way too much fun exploring the Desert. The Sand Sea is a lot like a "miniplace": the sand is water, and it flows around more arid chaparral areas of sandstone, where there is actual water, villages, Hamlets, and lots and lots of ruins (because the Sand Sea was not always a Sea of Sand).

However, I didn't prep anything.Or, more accurately, I didn't prep what they did: head out into the sand sea, get lost, and start finding ruins. So I have a lot of strange ruins in a southwestern US type environment, and I have to come up with things for them to explore and uncover. It has been a blast, and honestly, having an "ethical AI" tool has been a boon, since i can describe a basic environment, say the kind of ruins I want, get an image, and then create a set of ruins from that.

I’m not really a DM, and when I am I usually run a one shot with a lot of chaotic and dangerous combat. I don’t think I have enough experience to really answer that

Quote from PJtheARCH3R >>

I’m not really a DM, and when I am I usually run a one shot with a lot of chaotic and dangerous combat. I don’t think I have enough experience to really answer that

I started playing in 1979. Late Summer, early autumn.

I started DMing in January of the next year.  The only thing experience does in this case it make it easier, lol. In the image I supplied, there's a complex to the right, and a whole slew of rooms ahead and left, with stairs and open areas on top. Who knows what monsters are crawling around in there!

And look in the distance, a small keep on a rise!

I get a lot of ideas from pictures. They say one is worth a thousand words, and I can usually triple that (but it is hard -- trimming my writing down that much is a challenge).

Quote from AEDorsay >>

QOTD: 

How do you come up with your short adventures in a hurry?

 

In other news and things, I have been having a bit of an unexpected challenge with one of my groups.

So, the initial plan for the campaign was they would solve a problem happening in a nearby town called Derier, where a demon named Pencewit is causing horrible things to happen. of the four groups, three did that and moved on. Derier ("the ass end of the world") is located in the heart of the Sand Sea. Months ago (real world) they started out the campaign following the wreckage of the Sandskiff they were in traveling to that town. Basic opening.

Well, this group has yet to visit a town. They are having way too much fun exploring the Desert. The Sand Sea is a lot like a "miniplace": the sand is water, and it flows around more arid chaparral areas of sandstone, where there is actual water, villages, Hamlets, and lots and lots of ruins (because the Sand Sea was not always a Sea of Sand).

However, I didn't prep anything.Or, more accurately, I didn't prep what they did: head out into the sand sea, get lost, and start finding ruins. So I have a lot of strange ruins in a southwestern US type environment, and I have to come up with things for them to explore and uncover. It has been a blast, and honestly, having an "ethical AI" tool has been a boon, since i can describe a basic environment, say the kind of ruins I want, get an image, and then create a set of ruins from that.

 I keep a list of ideas I have so that whenever I need something I can turn to that and usually find something. I also like just throwing out random ideas that have been stewing in the back of my brain for awhile.

I know there's a thread for this but I absolutely love your PFP (Summoning Dark) is it from something?

Hi PJ

Hey man

So, I was supposed to be finishing up one thing, but decided to do another instead.  THe other was a little bit of work on the second continent of Wyrlde: Kokayin.

Which is a history nerd in-joke based off Cockaigne, which has about 700 years of "fantasy land" behind it. Google it. Trust me bro.

In any case, I took an old world and started really breaking it down for how the premise there would work in the new premise for Wyrlde. And, lest, anyone wonder, the old Premise was "all the disney princess movies as a D&D world". So, what I have is now presented to you with slight giggling, and an offhand wonder if it is too obvious.

Map of Kokayin

Quote from AEDorsay >>

QOTD: 

How do you come up with your short adventures in a hurry?

For me, it all depends on where the party is currently. For example, in my main campaign - the party is around Level 16, and they're currently in the various Planes (water, earth, fire, air) - because one of the players is royalty (Ginasei) and a war has broken out between the planes - and they've pieced together what's happened - and now trying to bring all sides to peace and reveal the true enemy - a beholder who seeks to become a deity (and has the means to do so). A few players were going to miss a session in the Plane of Fire, so the party who has a Spelljammer - got a call from one of the NPCs on the Spelljammer that they just got a distress signal. So they beamed back up to the Spelljammer, did a quick mission to help some Astral Elves against some beasts - and then returned to the Plane of Fire for the next session. So it always depends on where they are - I am eternally thankful for my brain. A lot of times if I need a quick side quest - I just flip through the monster manuals, look for monsters the party hasn't encountered (or rarely encountered) - look for two or three that can be connected - and then that's the session - create a story around that.

If I’m allowed to do a Question Of The Day (it seems like anyone can?) 

How often do you all play D&D/whatever TTRPG you generally use?

Quote from PJtheARCH3R >>

If I’m allowed to do a Question Of The Day (it seems like anyone can?) 

How often do you all play D&D/whatever TTRPG you generally use?

 I play once a week, but I text with the DM and the other players about what my character does in the downtime between sessions sometimes.

Quote from PJtheARCH3R >>

If I’m allowed to do a Question Of The Day (it seems like anyone can?) 

How often do you all play D&D/whatever TTRPG you generally use?

 I play once a week, Dming for a campaign. 

I have considered DMing another one, maybe something her in the forums that is more causal.

I also play once a week on Saturdays for 3hrs

If you want to be more specific you can also add how long

(Edit: every other week for 3hrs)

We play from 7pm to Midnight, though sometimes we start a half hour earlier or later, or end the session and hour earlier or later depending on what's going on IRL and in game.

Quote from WoodsGirl0402 >>

Quote from PJtheARCH3R >>

If I’m allowed to do a Question Of The Day (it seems like anyone can?) 

How often do you all play D&D/whatever TTRPG you generally use?

 I play once a week, but I text with the DM and the other players about what my character does in the downtime between sessions sometimes.

 We usually play for about 3 or 4 hours, but we have played longer sometimes.

Quote from PJtheARCH3R >>

If I’m allowed to do a Question Of The Day (it seems like anyone can?) 

How often do you all play D&D/whatever TTRPG you generally use?

(yes, anyone can)

We play D&D, and every saturday night there are seven different games going n, and then on Sunday I play an afternoon dungeon crawl (and then we fade into movie night). Sessions are scheduled for five hours, with about four hours of "real play", and then sunday is 3 to 5 depending on everyone's mood.

we always scheule an extra hour, because folks get caught up for the week, and some folks run a bit late, so it gives everyone a chance to settle in and prep.