Jennell Jaquays, one of the great designers and artists of tabletop role-playing games, died yesterday, January 10, 2024. A lot of old schoolers gush about the The Caverns of Thracia and Dark Tower. Those are good adventures but some of Jennell's other works have been far more important to me.
Tag: dungeon mastering
The Dumbest Question in Dungeons & Dragons Fandom
There is a particularly dumb question that has caused more fights in Dungeons & Dragons fandom than any other. I do have an answer to the question but it's probably not the answer most querents expect.
How Do I Keep Players From Ignoring Adventures In My Sandbox Campaigns?
One of the biggest challenges for a sandbox campaign is getting players to engage with adventure locations. Set up and run the campaign correctly, and this challenge goes away.
Evoking Emotion in Classic Fantasy Adventure Games
My number one priority as a game master is to create a gaming experience that produces strong bonds of fellowship in the game group. This essay is about how I tap into a variety of emotions in an effort to build deeper relationships between the players.
Emotion Fuels the “RPGs are Stories” Myth
I hypothesize that one of the reasons the "collaborative storytelling" claim persists is that both RPGs and stories produce powerful emotions. Stories and games can feel the same or at least very similar. This makes them seem like the same thing but they have a crucial difference.
Why Focus on Player Emotions in Tabletop RPG Design?
Role-playing games are unique for their capacity to evoke a wide range of emotions, profoundly influencing players' decisions. This emotional aspect makes role-playing games memorable and engaging. The most successful game designers focus heavily on triggering these emotional responses.
Podcast Recommendation: Into the Megadungeon
'Into the Megadungeon' by Ben Laurence provides valuable insights into running megadungeon campaigns, through conversations with experienced referees.
Grumpy Wizard 
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