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Travis Miller's Blog About Sword & Sorcery Fiction and Classic Fantasy Adventure Gaming

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Category: game mastering advice

How Many Wizards?

On December 23, 2021December 5, 2022 By Travis MillerIn design theory, game mastering advice4 Comments

When I'm creating a campaign for Swords & Wizardry one of the first steps in my process are to define the groups that exist in the setting. I start with very broad strokes and ideas. In the beginning...there is swirling Chaos that becomes more clear as I make progress. I start by thinking about the …

Continue reading How Many Wizards?

How Do Stories Emerge from Game Play?

On December 2, 2021June 25, 2023 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice, storytelling9 Comments

When you play the game you get a story that is easier to create and probably better than the one you intended.

A Message to 5E DMs: You Only Have One Ass.

On November 25, 2021November 27, 2024 By Travis MillerIn 5E, assumption busters, game mastering advice, musings, storytelling11 Comments

Are you going to ride the Story Horse or the Game Horse?

What is This Magic Sword For?

On November 18, 2021December 23, 2021 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice1 Comment

What is it for? is a question that can help you when you are brainstorming ideas for magic items, locations, and quest objectives.

Why Is This Monster Here?

On November 11, 2021November 11, 2021 By Travis MillerIn design theory, game mastering advice1 Comment

Why tells you What and How for everything in your game.

Your Story Sucks

On August 19, 2021July 23, 2025 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice9 Comments

If you think the game is about "your story," then you are in trouble.

Five “Off Label” Tools for Game Masters

On July 22, 2021July 27, 2021 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice, inspiration, musings5 Comments

Pharmacists call certain applications of drugs "off label" when a drug is prescribed for a condition it has no approval for. Here are some "off label" tools for game masters.

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Travis Miller

I write about tabletop role-playing games, sword-and-sorcery fiction, storytelling, and heavy metal. 

The friendships I’ve forged while playing adventure games, listening to heavy music, and sharing stories saved my life and made it worth living.  

I live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. America’s most underrated city.

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Cover of a a roleplaying game product titled "Hogwater: Village of Secrets" by Travis Miller


Hogwater: Village of Secrets is a starting location for a sandbox campaign. It includes everything you need to begin a campaign while still having the space to add your favorite old school modules or build your own. There are factions, non-player characters, unique monsters, locations, and a series of pre-written hooks for you to introduce players to the village of Hogwater and its troubles.

Immortals Inc, one of Cleveland's best Friendly Local Game Stores, keeps signed copies of Hogwater in stock. They ship to locations inside of the United States or you can pick it up yourself if you happen to be in the area. Great shop and great people. I also run special events and appear on their YouTube channel from time to time.

Buy Hogwater on Lulu in Print. Send me the receipt and I'll send you a PDF for free.

Buy Hogwater in PDF on Lulu

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