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Grumpy Wizard

Essays on Sword & Sorcery Fiction, Classic Adventure Gaming, and Heavy Metal Music

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Category: inspiration

a collection of books on medieval history. The Northmen by John Haywood, Kings and Vikings by P.H. Sawyer, Crusaders by Dan Jones, Europe in the High Middle Ages by John H. Mundy, A History of the Vikings by Gwyn Jones, Life in a Medieval Village by Joseph Gies, Life in a Medieval City by Joseph Gies, Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph Gies, A World Lit Only by Fire William Manchester, Medieval Cities by Pirenne

Why Do Gaming Grognards Love History?

On April 27, 2023April 28, 2023 By Travis MillerIn 2E, inspiration, musings7 Comments

Old school RPG gamers tend to have a deep interest in history. In this essay, I explain why that is and what effect it has on the style of game we run and play.

What’s your “Appendix LP?”

On April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 By Travis MillerIn inspiration, music4 Comments

You've heard of Appendix N. What about Appendix LP?

How Do I Play a First Level Magic User?

On March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 By Travis MillerIn advice for players, inspiration, Just For Fun8 Comments

The low level wizard is one of the most challenging character classes to play in Old School Renaissance games. They have limited access to spells and are very weak in combat. How do you play a magic user?

All the nerdy kids are doing #Dungeon23 and so can you!

On December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 By Travis MillerIn D.I.O., inspiration, Just For FunLeave a comment

Sean McCoy shared a project he is doing for 2023 and it's got some attention. I think it's good idea and I'm going to participate.

20 Questions About Magic In Your Milieu

On December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice, inspiration4 Comments

Magic is a key ingredient in any classic fantasy adventure campaign. Here are 20 questions to think about when you are creating yours.

When You Write, Only Write.

On September 15, 2022September 14, 2022 By Travis MillerIn inspiration1 Comment

This is one of those posts about bolstering my own morale. I'm talking to myself. I might as well acknowledge it. My wife is going to read this and say, "You wrote that for yourself didn't you?" When you write, only write. You can't write and edit the writing at the same time. That never …

Continue reading When You Write, Only Write.

Lessons Learned From Horizon: Forbidden West

On August 11, 2022August 10, 2022 By Travis MillerIn design theory, game mastering advice, inspiration, video games1 Comment

Here are three lessons I learned about world and scenario design from the Horizon video-games that apply to tabletop role-playing games. #TTRPG #gamemastering

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writer Travis Miller, long beard long hair

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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The Alexandrian

B/X Blackrazor

Hite Studios

Ten Foot Pole

Dweller of the Forbidden City

Delta’s D&D Hotspot

Hack & Slash

Joe Abercrombie’s Blog

From Kuroth’s Quill

Welcome To The Death Trap

Age of Dusk

Thews You Can Use

Witch House

The Pavilion Blog

Whetstone: Amateur Magazine of Sword & Sorcery

The Silver Key

Podcasts I Like

Hardcore History

RPG Ramblings

 

Some of my acquisitions from #ntrpgcon over the weekend. Great convention. Looking to go again next year. We who are about to die salute you! Banners from past NTRPG con events. I've met some great people here. Looking forward to doing some gaming tomorrow. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs7QmRPrkcH/ Critical Hit Parader zine came in the mail today along with a nice note and a guitar pick.  Looking forward to reading it. Probably the first internet nerd meme was a post from an old message board about a player in a D&D game who didn't know what a gazebo is. Since they were playing theater of the mind and the description the DM gave wasn't particularly clear, the player thought it was a monster and attacked it.  Every time I see a gazebo I think of that story and can't help but photograph the gazebo.  Someday, I am going to make an encounter where a gazebo is actually a mimic. Someone leaked the cover for One D&D or whatever WotC is calling it now. I keep hearing that sandbox campaigns are boring, or are really railroads with more tracks and all kinds of other nonsense. Working on a thumbnail for a YouTube video

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